‘Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories,’ a historically-based speaker series of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, is excited to announce that it is hosting Julia Harrison for a live Zoom presentation on Thursday, June 10 at 6:00 PM. Harrison will deliver a presentation entitled, “Sticky Subject: The History and Culture of Sugar.” Registration is required. Please register HERE.

When King Henry VIII wanted three pounds of sugar for his guests at an important banquet, he had a tough time getting it. Now the average American eats that much sugar in a single week.

Once a rare, exotic ingredient, sugar has become a dietary staple, leaving its sticky fingerprints all over the globe. Anthropologist and sweets expert Julia Harrison takes participants on a journey from ancient sugar cane plantations to modern candy factories, uncovering sugar’s economic and social significance. From slavery and mass migration to environmental changes and nutrition, the consequences of sugar’s rise are global—and not always sweet.

Julia Harrison is an anthropologist and avid traveler for whom all roads lead to sweets. Her projects include a multimedia online map of bakeries, desserts, and candy-makers around Puget Sound. She received a MA in Applied Anthropology from Macquarie University and spent two years studying Material Culture theory and methodology at University College London. Harrison lives in Seattle.

This presentation is part of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society is grateful for the support of Humanities Washington.

This series is open to hosting any author or speaker addressing historical issues relating to the Puget Sound/Duwamish Peninsula and/or the general public. Additional information on future presentations can be obtained by contacting Dora-Faye Hendricks, Chair, ‘Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories’ by phone at 206-290-8315 or by e-mail at Dora-Faye@comcast.net.

‘Words, Writers & Southwest Stories,’ a historically-based speaker series of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, is offered in partnership with The Southwest Seattle Historical Society and The Seattle Public Library.