Lowcountry matriarch, Gullah Geechee griot, community leader, mother, friend, and New York Times bestselling cookbook author Emily Meggett died Friday, leaving behind a lifetime and legacy that most would find hard to compete or compare with.
Her recent rise to fame came last year with her bestselling cookbook, Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island, which featured recipes and stories written with journalist and now close friend, Kayla Stewart. Gullah Geechee Home Cooking serves as the preeminent cookbook Gullah foodways and culture, and introduced many to the life of Mrs. Meggett, her family and the community on Edisto Island.
“Ms. Emily” has been heralded in her community in Edisto and the greater Charleston area for decades. Known for her delicious food and catering experience, kind spirit and loving nature, she so loved being of service to others. She would keep her kitchen door open to let people know she had a meal to share with whomever found themselves at her doorstep. She would also often deliver food across the Lowcountry to those in need and to those who requested her services. When she could no longer travel on her own, her family would take up the cause for her, continuing the work their elder had started.
Meggett was the recipient of many recent accolades. She was honored by President Joe Biden in 2022 with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg declared July 22 “Emily Meggett Day” the same year. This year, she was honored at Charleston Wine + Food alongside Gullah Geechee matriarchs Sallie Ann Robinson, Natalie Daise, Charlotte Jenkins, and the families of Martha Lou Gasden (Martha Lou’s) and Alberta Grant (Bertha’s Kitchen) At 89, Ms. Emily became a New York Times best-selling author, although she had never owned a cookbook before.
Emily Meggett died amongst her loved ones on April 21 at 90 years old. She leaves behind a family with 11 children and 50 grandchildren, and an extended network of friends, fans and community members. Her work serves as a testimony to the Lowcountry, specifically the Gullah Geechee culture and cuisine, and her long-lived life shows there is strength in love, family and community.
I personally mourn the loss of an elder and her knowledge and wisdom. But I find strength and joy in witnessing the legacy that she leaves behind. Almost one year exactly to the day of her book release, Ms. Emily was called home. So, like her family did for her before, I hope that we take her life as an example to be of service to one another, to take care of each other and the land around us, and to live our lives to our fullest extent.
Charleston City Paper contributing writer Amethyst Ganaway lives in North Charleston.
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