"… here, those in attendance were connecting across centuries and continents, as the descendants of William D. Coleman, Liberia’s 13th president who emigrated from the United States in 1853, met and broke bread with their American relatives, whose ancestors had stayed in Kentucky.
Ultimately, 16,000 African Americans would make the journey to what became Liberia by the end of the 19th century.
That history is reflected in Liberian cuisine, which merges strong American influences with West African flavors and cooking techniques, said the Liberian historian Carl Patrick Burrowes.
He pointed to dishes like rice bread, made with ripe bananas, rice powder and spices; the prevalence of American-style cornbread; and the use of pork, of all kinds, in recipes like tender peppered pork shoulder and dry rice, as examples of American influence.
At the reunion, the link between Liberia and the United States could be seen in the food. Homemade Liberian dishes like rice, pork and stewed vegetables were piled high on paper plates, each dish giving Liberian relatives a chance to share their culture and experiences with their American family members."
