Maine Historical Society’s latest exhibit, Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History curated by Avery Yale Kamila, sheds light on 300 years of research into the vegetarian movement. The exhibit reveals the dark side of Thanksgiving, tracing the origins of vegetarian turkeys back to the 1860s. Kamila also uncovers the sinister history of a Thanksgiving feast in 1724 that celebrated the massacre of Native Americans in Maine.
Prominent figures like Sylvester Graham and Ellen G. White played key roles in promoting vegetarianism in Maine during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Graham’s message of vegetarianism and sexual equality led to a riot in Portland, while White’s vision inspired the development of vegetarian products such as peanut butter and breakfast cereal.
Commercial development of vegetarian products in Maine took off in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with a booming canning industry offering year-round access to vegetarian food. The back-to-the-land movement of the 1960s and ‘70s saw vegetarians like Helen and Scott Nearing gaining popularity for their simple recipes and practices.
Despite the growth of vegetarianism, prejudice against vegetarians and vegans still exists, with many ranking them below drug addicts. Kamila hopes the exhibit encourages visitors to question their perceptions of the vegetarian lifestyle and seek out the untold stories that have been omitted from history. Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History exhibit is open until May 17, 2025, at the Maine Historical Society. This article is in partnership with Maine Public.
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