Ice cream is complicated.

We love it. We didn’t invent it in America, but we eat it more than any other nation on earth. We perfected it right here in Philadelphia, and made it available to the masses.

We did it through the toil of Black food professionals and the ingenuity of African American artisans — enslaved and free — who have been long overlooked by history.

At least until now.

Listen here for the true and inclusive history of American ice cream:

Tonya Hopkins, aka The Food Griot, founded the nonfiction story-telling platform, “The Food Griot: Sharing Savory Stories on The Makings of American Cuisine, (Cocktails) …” She has researched and written for several scholarly and consumer publications and appears regularly on radio and television. Her work in culinary history activism aims to help disenfranchised, mostly Black and Brown food/drink industry professionals achieve greater inclusion, equity and wholesome empowerment. Follow @TheFoodGriot on: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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