Gala 2022

About the event: This year’s annual gala — in addition to celebrating the humanities in Missouri and the field’s vital role in building a strong, thoughtful, and engaged society — highlighted the evolution of food and African American foodways. This history embodies the story of America and its perpetual struggle to meet its founding ideals. By exploring what we eat, all Americans can gain a deeper understanding of who we are, making us more capable of fostering a more perfect union for a complex and diverse citizenry.

The night’s keynote speaker was Adrian Miller, lawyer, author, and African American food scholar. His presentation deepened the gala audience’s knowledge of African American foodways by recontextualizing its role in our history and recognizing the contribution of African Americans to American foodways. This keynote event was developed as part of the NEH Special Initiative “A More Perfect Union” addressing the broader theme of what it means for a Union to be made more perfect in a diverse modern society. Chef Ben Welch, a St. Louis native and 2022 James Beard Award Nominee, developed this year’s menu in conjunction with the keynote. 

The MOmentum Gala was for all interested in the central role of African American Foodways in American history and for all who wish to support their state humanities council’s efforts to provide widespread programming, helping Missourians discover who we are and what unites us.