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Picnic with Purpose: The Abolitionist Picnic Tradition

Susan Torrey Merritt (1826-1879). The Anti-Slavery Picnic at Weymouth Landing, Massachusetts, 1845.

Before there was Juneteenth, there was August 1st.

The first of August is Emancipation Day in the West Indies, commemorating the day (in 1834) when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 went into full effect across the former British Empire. Caribbean nations from Antigua and Barbados to Trinidad & Tobago continue to celebrate some form of Emancipation Day, but there was a time in the 19th century when it was a thing in the United States.  

American abolitionists seized on August 1st in solidarity with an anti-slavery movement that succeeded decades before the Emancipation Proclamation. And what did those abolitionists do on August 1st? That’s right: they had picnics.

As the movement gained momentum in the 1830s, one of the ways they promoted the cause to attract supporters was to hold large community picnics. The painting above, by Susan Torrey Merritt, documents one such picnic in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1845. But the most famous abolitionist picnic happened a year earlier, in nearby Hingham, Massachusetts, to mark the 10th anniversary of Emancipation Day.

Planned for months in advance, it drew a crowd of nearly 10,000 people who came to hear A-list speakers like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Delegations were sent from around the northeast, and the day began with a processional parade. There were speeches, poems, and song, along with a performance by the super-famous Hutchinson Family Singers, which makes it sound kind of like a teetotaling Quaker Woodstock.

The Hutchinson Family Singers, 1845

As it happens, a recently published local history by Martha Reardon Bewick, entitled Tranquility Grove: The Great Abolitionist Picnic of 1844, recounts the details of the event—starting with the fact that the picnic was rained out on August 1st and so was held the following day. The book gathers primary source material, including broadsides advertising the picnic, lists of attendees, and the speeches, letters, and songs that were shared throughout the day.

Beyond noting that provisions were sent from Boston, the book doesn’t concern itself with the menu. If you’re curious about what they might have fed some 10,000 hungry abolitionists, you can consult Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (like a Victorian Martha Stewart Living). Far more interesting than the food, of course, is the democratic spirit at the heart of the whole thing—the idea that picnics could be purposeful gatherings in pursuit of justice and equality. That’s a tradition worth preserving.

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Who says you can’t picnic in the winter? Emergin Who says you can’t picnic in the winter? Emerging from Winter Solstice and thinking back to our Santa Lucia picnic a couple of weeks ago in Central Park. We planned for cold, grey weather - all the better for wearing our candle crowns - but instead we got one of those glorious warm December days that happen sometimes. There were Santa Lucia saffron buns, Jansson’s Temptation,potato soup,  homemade gravlax, meatballs, pickled beets, cheeses, glögg, aquavit, and cookies galore. And one Swede to make it all official. Oh, and halfway through a group of singers showed up with bells and Christmas carols. It was kind of perfect. Grateful to my creative picnic pod for making winter picnicking a tradition we will continue. 📸 @jonas_snapsalot . #picnicfancy #picnicpod #santalucia #solstice #lightiscoming
This year, how about a small, outdoor Thanksgiving This year, how about a small, outdoor Thanksgiving inspired by Sean Sherman @the_sioux_chef ? In anticipation of the holiday, our small picnic-pod gathered in Central Park for a four-course meal of recipes from this beautiful and inspiring book. We started with deviled duck eggs and crispy bean cakes, a mushroom and sweet potato soup, followed by a salad with griddled squash, and a main course of cider-braised turkey thighs served with wild rice pilaf and three sister’s mash. Dessert was autumn harvest cookies and amaranth bites. It was the perfect meal in these imperfect times. I can’t recommend this book enough - both for the storytelling and the recipes. You can follow Sean Sherman’s work at @siouxchef , natifs_org and @indigenousfoodlab.  This holiday, consider donating to the Indigenous Food Lab in Minneapolis to help them feed tribal families in need. Link in bio. 📸: @jonas_snapsalot #siouxchef #thanksgiving #friendsgiving #socialdistancing #indigenouslivesmatter #indigenousfood #pandemicpicnic #picnicfancy
Good Morning!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ Good Morning!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The weather is moody here in NYC, but tomorrow morning looks like it will be sunny and gorgeous! What better way to enjoy than to whip up these super-easy lemon scones, grab your favorite coffee, and head out to your favorite spot for a breakfast picnic!  Recipe link in bio!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For us, that spot is lower Riverside Park, overlooking the Hudson. What's yours?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#picnicfancy #simplerecipe #makeitnice #picnicrecipe #picnics #picnicinspo #picnicgoals #eatoutside #dinealfresco #simplefood #easypicnic #lemonscones #breakfastpicnic #easyscones #sconerecipe #encouragement #hudsonriver
✨Happy Friday!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It's P ✨Happy Friday!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's Pimms o'clock somewhere! What we love about a good Pimms Cup is that you can really make it your own, with whatever garnish captures your fancy. It's also easy to make a pitcher, which you can put in a jar and take outside to a croquet match or...... a picnic✨🧺.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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RECIPE:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1 bottle Pimm's No. 1 Cup⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1 bottle sparkling lemonade or ginger ale⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1 -2 sliced cucumbers (not optional) along with the garnish of your choosing: citrus, assorted berries, stone fruits, sprigs of mint or rosemary are all good options.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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INSTRUCTIONS:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1. Play a game of croquet or involve yourself somehow in a polo match, sailing regatta, or Wimbledon).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2. Retire to the lawn, veranda, or gazebo. (A stoop or black-tar rooftop will do.)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3 Fill a pitcher (or jar!) with ice, add a 50/50 mixture of Pimm’s and sparkling lemonade or ginger ale, and stir together with sliced cucumber and fruit.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
4. Hello, I make that Pimm’s O’Clock!  Serve with salty snacks and suddenly that dank back alley you call your “outdoor space” is the Garden at the Goring Hotel. Cheers!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#picnicfancy #simplerecipe #makeitnice #picnicrecipe #picnics #picnicinspo #picnicgoals #eatoutside #dinealfresco #simplefood #easypicnic #pimmscup #pimmsoclock #picnichappyhour #garnishgalore #pimmsno1 #summercocktails #picniccocktails #croquet
Sometimes you just want a picnic without all the c Sometimes you just want a picnic without all the cooking. Enter Perfect Picnic! At the end of a long week we were excited to meet up with some friends we hadn't seen in ages in Central Park (at a distance, of course!) With no time to cook, we decided to try out Perfect Picnic NYC since that was exactly what we were going for.⁣
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We ordered the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘯𝘪𝘤 which was plenty of food for all of us. It came with 8 delicious mini-baguettes, from fresh goat cheese and fig to prociutto with blue cheese and pears. There was a generous cheese platter, a big salad, chips, lemonade and cookies for dessert. All delivered to our door in an adorable tote with little picnic blankets, included.⁣
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Perfect Picnic also offers full-service picnic experiences. Gorgeous set-ups for special occasions, catered by them, or in partnership with local restaurants. Looking to propose? I would give them a call.⁣ ✨🧺@perfectpicnicnyc 
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#perfectpicnicnyc #picnicfancy #localrestaurants #eatlocal #picniclove #eatoutside #picnicreview #centralpark #bigbackyard
The hibiscus flowers used in tea originated in Afr The hibiscus flowers used in tea originated in Africa. In Senegal, it is known as Bissap. Ghanaians know it as Sobolo, and in Nigeria, it’s Zobo. In Jamaica, it’s called sorrel and is typically combined with grated ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and rum or wine for a festive Christmas punch. In Mexico, it is called Agua de Jamaica and can be found nearly everywhere.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Happily, it is easy to make and the perfect refreshment for hot summer days:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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INGREDIENTS:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2 cups dried hibiscus flowers⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
8 cups water⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
sugar, honey, agave syrup, or another sweetener of your choice⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Cover hibiscus flowers in fresh, cold water and let sit overnight.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Strain the flowers through a cheese-cloth-lined sieve and sweeten to taste.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Serve over ice.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#picnicfancy #simplerecipe #makeitnice #picnicrecipe #picnics #picnicinspo #picnicgoals #eatoutside #dinealfresco #simplefood #easypicnic #aguadejamaica #hibiscustea #simplerecipes #hotaugustnight #aguasfrescas
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