"A Domestic Cook Book: For the Kitchen," published by Malinda Russell in 1866 Michigan, is the oldest known published cookbook written by a Black woman. 

The book contains 260 recipes and household tips drawing from Russell’s 20 years of experience cooking in Southern kitchens, her boarding house, and her pastry shop, according to the University of Michigan Press.

Juli McLoone is a curator in the Special Collections Research Center at U-M. One of her focus areas is the evolution of cuisine in various regions and cultures, and she helped to preserve and digitize “A Domestic Cook Book."

McLoone joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss the preservation process and the unique history behind this extremely rare cookbook. 

More stories from The Metro on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

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