Sweet Potatoes Collection

Food Garden Commission, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Food Garden Commission, between 1910 and 1920
Food Garden Commission, between 1910 and 1920. Fresh and preserved vegetables, USA. Sign reads: Be a Soldier of the Soil; Produce Food - Conserve Food - Dry and Can Food

Couple digging their sweet potatoes in the fall, Irrigon, Morrow County, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Couple digging their sweet potatoes in the fall. Irrigon, Morrow County, Oregon

Sketches in Charleston, South Carolina (engraving)
1612713 Sketches in Charleston, South Carolina (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sketches in Charleston, South Carolina)

Marion Feasting the British Officer on Sweet Potatoes, 1848

A group of cheerful women carry sweet potatoes to market in traditional split-bamboo baskets balanced on their heads

Wagon Of Giant Sweet Potatoes
Minnesota: c. 1909. A farmer next to his broken down wagon with a load of gigantic sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) tubers in farm shop, Cheshire, England, February

Three sweet potatoes, one of them cut in half

Baked sweet potato containing a knob of melting butter, served on white plate with knife and fork, close up, tilted view

Sweet potatoes, whole and sliced

Bowl of white bean, sweet potato and fennel soup

Plastic bowl of green vegetable puree with spoon resting on rim, close up

Ipomoea batatas, Sweet Potato, whole and sliced

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"From Field to Feast: The Story of Sweet Potatoes" In the fall of 1939, amidst the picturesque landscapes of Irrigon, Morrow County, Oregon, a couple could be seen diligently digging their sweet potatoes. With each dig into the earth, they unearthed not just a humble root vegetable but also a symbol of resilience and sustenance. Meanwhile, in Charleston, South Carolina, sketches captured the essence of this versatile crop that has stood the test of time. Engravings depicted scenes where they were cherished and celebrated for their rich flavor and nutritional value. Traveling back in time to 1848, we find Marion feasting a British officer on sweet potatoes. This historical moment showcases how this simple yet delicious tuber played an unexpected role in bridging cultural gaps during times of conflict. Dorothea Lange's lens transports us to Olive Hill, North Carolina in 1939. Here we meet a thirteen-year-old daughter of a Negro sharecropper who tirelessly plants these precious roots with hope for better days ahead. In another poignant image from Lange's collection, we witness her capturing the same young girl alongside her family as they harvest their bountiful crop. Returning once more to Irrigon in Morrow County through Lange's lens reveals couples working together under the autumn sky - hands covered in soil as they gather their hard-earned sweet potatoes. These images serve as reminders that behind every meal lies countless hours spent tending to nature's gifts. Finally, our journey concludes with cheerful women carrying baskets brimming with sweet potatoes to market. Their smiles reflect both pride and gratitude for being partakers in an age-old tradition that nourishes communities far and wide. Through these snapshots frozen in time by Dorothea Lange and engravings sketched long ago in Charleston streetscapes emerge stories woven around one common thread - they have always been more than just food; they represent strength against adversity, cultural exchange, and the sustenance that brings people together.