In 1925, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson planned the inaugural week-long observance of Black history, he could have hardly anticipated the imprint he would leave on the world. In February 2026, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Carter G. Woodson’s celebration of Black History Week - the precursor for Black History Month, the Sixth Street Museum District will adopt the national theme: “A Century of Black History Commemorations” with a special focus on the culinary experience – Cooking Up History!
“We want to invite our community and beyond to gather around the table for Cooking Up History, a series of events honoring African American heritage through the universal language of food,” said Vanessa Molden, Museum Operations & Visitor Engagement Manager. “Rooted in the culinary traditions of Mississippi and the American South, this dynamic series blends storytelling, shared recipes, and historical explorations to illuminate how food shapes, identity, memory, and culture.”
From the brilliance and creativity of enslaved chefs who built the foundations of American cuisine, to the comforting church suppers and home-cooked meals that sustained the Civil Rights Movement, Cooking Up History traces the deep connections between sustenance and survival, community and resistance, joy and tradition. Each program offers participants a chance to engage with the dishes, ingredients, and kitchen wisdom that have nourished generations—and continue to influence American foodways today.
Join us as we honor this history—one plate, one story, and one shared moment at a time.
FEATURED EVENTS
Where Smoke Meets Soul: Leatha’s Bar-B-Que and the Community It Built
The exhibition explores the extraordinary legacy of Mississippi barbecue legend Leatha Jackson, whose family-run restaurant became a beloved cultural landmark. Through historic photographs, news articles, and restaurant memorabilia, the exhibition highlights how Leatha’s BBQ, a small rural barbecue stand, evolved into a cultural institution built on family, memory, and the communal power of food. After touring the exhibition, guests will have an opportunity to create a food inspired art piece. After touring the exhibition, guests will have an opportunity to create a food-inspired art piece.
- February 5-April 25 (open to the public)
- Thursdays and Fridays 11-2 p.m.
- Saturdays, Noon-2 p.m.
- Historic Eureka School, 410 East 6th Street
Coming to the Table – A Community Culinary Celebration
- February 12th at 6 p.m.
- Historic Eureka School, 410 East 6th Street
Coming to the Table, promises to be an exciting and engaging culinary experience that celebrates the flavors, stories, and traditions that define Hattiesburg and the Pine Belt’s rich food heritage.
This unique event invites local families to share their most cherished recipes, migration journeys, and the cultural practices that have shaped their kitchens for generations. Whether your roots run deep in Southern soil or stretch across oceans, Coming to the Table honors the diverse foodways that bring our community together.
Guests will gather for a warm, family-style soul-food meal and take part in facilitated conversations and oral-history activities that highlight the powerful connections between food, memory, and identity. It’s an opportunity to learn, share, and celebrate the tastes that tell our stories.
The cost is $5. Registration is required, and space is limited — reserve your seat today!
Come share and taste history!
Carried by Courage, Seasoned by History: The Legacy of John Seagraves
- February 19th at 5:30 p.m.
- African American Military History Museum, 305 East Sixth Street
Join us for an inspiring program that uncovers the powerful story of Southern food traditions carried northward during the Second Great Migration—when millions of African Americans left the Jim Crow South seeking opportunity, safety, and a better life. Along that journey, home-cooked Southern fare blossomed into what we now celebrate as soul food, forever reshaping the American culinary landscape.
At the center of this event is the remarkable story of John Seagraves, an unsung WWII Navy veteran and gifted cook whose experiences reflect those of countless African American families on the move. From serving aboard the USS North Carolina as a First-Class Steward’s Mate/Cook to founding restaurants that brought the rich, comforting flavors of the South to Boston, Seagraves embodied resilience, service, and entrepreneurial vision. His story reveals the determination, creativity, and courage it took to build a business—and a legacy—amid a rapidly changing America.
After years of influencing Northern tastes and communities, Seagraves returned home to Atlanta, completing a journey that symbolizes both a personal homecoming and the enduring influence of African American culinary traditions nationwide.
Guest speaker, David Seagraves—son of John Seagraves and author of John Seagraves: Uncommon Hero—will share personal insights into his father’s extraordinary life. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, offering attendees the chance to take home the full story of a man whose life reflects perseverance, heritage, and heart.
Come hungry for history—and leave inspired by the legacy of those who served, cooked, and shaped America’s story.
Storytime with a Soldier
- February 20th at 10 a.m.
- African American Military History Museum, 305 East 6th Street
A heartwarming adventure for little learners in Pre-K through 2nd 3rd grade will have a one-of-a-kind experience as they meet and interact with a military servicemember who will bring a story to life through reading, conversation, and fun! Kids will enjoy a chance to ask questions, take a photo with the veteran, and even explore the museum.
It’s fun, inspiring, and a wonderful way to help children appreciate the courage and commitment of those who serve.
Featured Book - Okra Stew: A Gullah Geechee Family Celebration by Natalie Daise—beloved co-star of Nickelodeon’s Gullah Gullah Island.
Through rhythmic language and vibrant illustrations, this story guides children through a father-son cooking adventure rooted in Gullah Geechee culture, tradition, family, and food. After the reading, students will have the exciting opportunity to taste real Okra Stew, just like in the book! Okra Stew will be prepared by the culinary team at the Lake Terrace Convention Center and served at the Museum for all participants in Storytime with a Soldier.
Baked into American Cuisine: The Story of James Hemings Featuring a Community Mac & Cheese Bake-Off!
– Saturday, February 21st at 1 p.m.
- Historic Eureka School, 410 East 6th Street
Join us for an unforgettable celebration of history, heritage, and flavor as we honor one of America’s true—yet long overlooked—culinary founding fathers: James Hemings.
This special event features a screening of the acclaimed documentary James Hemings: Ghost in America’s Kitchen, a powerful exploration of the life, brilliance, and erasure of the French-trained chef whose innovations helped shape what we know today as American cuisine. Through insights from food historians, celebrated chefs, and scholars of race and the African American diaspora, the film sheds light on Hemings’s remarkable story—his mastery, his contributions, and his enduring legacy.
Enslaved and trained in the kitchens of France, James Hemings blended Virginian, French, and African influences to create dishes that became American staples, including the beloved macaroni and cheese. His legacy, along with the contributions of other early African American chefs such as Peter Hemings, Edith Fossett, and her sons Joseph and William Fossett, has only recently begun to receive the recognition it deserves.
And now—it’s your turn to honor his legacy through food!
We’re inviting the community to showcase their best mac and cheese recipes in our Mac and Cheese Bake-Off. Whether your dish is classic, creative, or boldly unconventional, we want to taste what you bring to the table! The winner will receive a gift card from a local restaurant. Registrations of mac and cheese submissions must be made no later than February 13th.
Come learn, taste, and celebrate the rich culinary traditions woven into the American story—traditions shaped in no small part by James Hemings. Help us spread his story to new audiences… including those who may never have known where their French fries—or their mac and cheese—really came from!
All Black History Month events are open to the public. Some events require registration and a fee. To learn more about these events and to register call 601.450.1942 or visit https://sixthstreetmuseumdistrict.com/events.
The Black History Month events are sponsored by Community Bank and in partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Black Studies and School of Humanities and We Are Thriving, Inc.
