As the scent of vanilla-sweetened tea cakes begins to drift across Juneteenth celebrations nationwide, one name rises with every batch baked: Etha Robinson. A culinary historian, businesswoman, and cultural steward, Mrs. Robinson has made it her life’s work to revive the legacy of African American foodways and transform them into a modern-day engine for economic empowerment.
On June 18, 2025, the community will gather at the U.S. Bank Community Center on Crenshaw & Slauson to honor Mrs. Robinson’s visionary work during the “Celebration of Legacy” event. Her likeness, painted alongside the late Nipsey Hussle on the mural gracing the side of U.S. Bank, tells a powerful story of generational entrepreneurship and grassroots leadership.
Etha Robinson’s journey begins not only with her renowned Tea Cakes, but with a deep commitment to honoring the culinary roots of Black America. Named the Tea Cake Commissioner by the late Dr. Ronald V. Myers of the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation, Robinson was entrusted with preserving the tea cake as a cultural artifact. Once a humble Southern cookie served after church or during family gatherings, it now serves as the official cookie of Juneteenth, symbolizing freedom, heritage, and a taste of resilience.
But for Mrs. Robinson, the tea cake is just the beginning. Her broader mission is to bring attention and resources to the Black food and agriculture sector—a cultural and economic asset that remains grossly underutilized. “We have land, we have talent, we have tradition,” she often says. “What we need is structure, investment, and a united front.”
That vision gave birth to the African American Food Association, which Mrs. Robinson founded to serve as a nexus for Black farmers, chefs, bakers, and entrepreneurs. The Association aimed to reclaim the narrative of Black culinary excellence—often co-opted or erased in mainstream culture—and to spark a movement that supports everything from farm-to-table programs and youth agricultural training, to co-ops and value-added product development.
This year, Mrs. Robinson’s tea cakes are doing more than offering sweetness; they’re fueling a nationwide fundraising effort for the Miss Juneteenth Pageant and Scholarship Fund. Through a strategic partnership with the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation, the tea cake campaign empowers churches, HBCU organizations, and cultural institutions like Black Museums to raise funds, while also celebrating and sustaining a meaningful tradition.
What sets Robinson apart is her unwavering belief that Black food is not just nourishment—it’s capital, it’s history, and it’s a pathway forward. In an era where cultural preservation and economic justice must go hand in hand, her work sits at the intersection of both.
As we prepare to honor her at the Celebration of Legacy event, we are reminded that legacies aren’t just left—they’re built. With flour, memory, and entrepreneurial grit, Etha Robinson continues to lay the foundation for a movement that tastes like home and smells like revolution.
