Maison Noire Américaine

29/05/2026

This summer, nationally-recognized chef and UVA alumna Tanya Holland will be teaching a 10-day, three-credit course that explores the evolution of Virginia foodways through the contributions of African American French-trained chefs. This course is open not only to current UVA students, but also to visiting students and to non-student members of the Charlottesville and Central Virginia communities. Seniors 60+ could be eligible for free tuition!

In 𝘌𝘛𝘗 2559: 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥: 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩-𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘧𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢, students will engage in seminars, tastings, behind-the-scenes tours at Monticello and King Family Vineyards, and hands-on cooking in UVA’s teaching kitchen.

Those interested in enrolling can scan the QR code in the graphic or see the link in our bio for more information!

29/05/2026

One voice. One piano. Fifty guests. An elegant evening of soul in the heart of le Marais — Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, performed live by Crystal Petit.

​Une voix. Un piano. L’un des plus beaux espaces secrets de Paris. Crystal Petit vous invite pour une soirée soul et élégante — Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach — interprétés en live pour seulement cinquante personnes au cœur du Marais.

​Some evenings are simply meant to be.

​For over 25 years, Crystal Petit has been a fixture of the Parisian music scene — yet she has never performed an intimate piano-voice concert in this city. Until now.

​The Mahogany Sessions is an evening born from pure love — of an era, a sound, a feeling. The warmth of Diana Ross. The ache of Dionne Warwick. The architecture of Burt Bacharach. Songs that don’t ask for your attention. They simply take it.

​Just her voice, a piano, and fifty seats in one of the most beautiful hidden spaces in the Marais.

​Accompanied on piano by Emanuel Smith and hosted by the incomparable Brian Scott Bagley.

​Come dressed for the occasion. Think Mahogany. Think 1975. Think luminous.

​June 28, 2026 · L’Échappée, 75004 Paris · Welcome apéro 19h00 · Concert 20h00

​Strictly limited to 50 guests. A Bronze Gathering Paris partner event.

​Psst — an RSVP here won’t save your seat! Head to the link in bio to secure your spot. See you there!

​Un RSVP ici ne suffit pas à réserver votre place ! Rendez-vous sur le link in bio pour sécuriser votre billet. 🎹

14/05/2026

What a pleasure it was to sponsor this event! Merci à tous!

01/02/2026

Happy Black History Month Famille! ✨🖤

From The Bay to Paris and the Diaspora, from the archives to the streets, from the ancestors to the future—we honor Black brilliance, Black presence, and Black legacy in all its global expressions.

At Maison Noire Américaine, Black history isn’t confined to a month. It is lived, traveled, written, cooked, worn, danced, and remembered—across the U.S., France, and around the globe—where our stories have long shaped culture, art, and intellectual life.

This month, we celebrate the visionaries who crossed oceans, the communities that took root, and the joy, resistance, elegance, and genius that continue to ripple across generations.

Here’s to knowing where we come from—and claiming where we’re going.

Bienvenue à Black History Month. ✨

GlobalBlackCulture BlackLegacy BlackJoy

18/01/2026

🙏🏾✨ We’re deeply honored by Connexion Magazine’s beautiful feature on Maison Noire Américaine — highlighting our mission to spotlight Black history, culture, and creative exchange between African Americans, the Black Diaspora and France. Thank you for capturing our story with such depth and respect — from Josephine Baker’s Panthéon celebration to the threads that bind diasporic legacies across cuisine, music, literature, and lived experience. This recognition strengthens our commitment to share a Paris that reflects all of us. 🙏🏾✨

An American non-profit is illuminating the legacy and vibrant presence of African-Americans and the African diaspora in France

01/12/2025

DEBUTANTE ELEGANCE!

Last night in Paris, 19-year-old Bronwyn Golden Vance—daughter of actors Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance—made a breathtaking entrance at the famed Le Bal des Débutantes, the invitation-only soirée known as the “Met Gala for teenagers.” 

Bronwyn glided into the grand ballroom of the Hôtel Shangri-La on the arm of her twin brother, showing up in a couture gown specially crafted for her by French designer Stéphane Rolland. 

Beyond the glam — piano, lacrosse, philanthropy. Bronwyn’s résumé shines as bright as her gown: she’s a Harvard freshman, musician, lacrosse player, and teen philanthropist who once raised over $60,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 

Last night wasn’t just about stepping into society — it was a celebration of heritage, poise, and the debut of a young woman ready to write her own story on her own terms.



[Le Bal des Débutantes, Paris, November 29 2025]

30/11/2025

🕊️ Adieu Akio 🕊️

With heavy hearts and deep gratitude, we at Maison Noire Américaine honor the life of Akio Bouillon — a gentle spirit, a bridge between worlds, and a living testament to the legacy of his mother, Joséphine Baker.

We first met Akio in the early 2000s at Château des Milandes, his childhood home. He moved through those rooms with quiet grace, carrying memories that kept his mother’s love, courage, and radical humanity alive for all who listened.

Years later, on November 30, 2021, at our Panthéon induction gala “Josephine en Rose,” we were blessed to greet him again — warm, humble, radiant in spirit. Even in a room full of admiration, he carried himself with gentle dignity, always ready to share, to listen, to uplift.

Born in Tokyo yet forever a son of the Périgord, Akio embraced his adopted home with devotion. He held close the memory of the Rainbow Tribe, the 12 children Joséphine gathered from around the world — a living declaration that love transcends borders and origin.

He answered every call from schools, historians, and curious hearts, speaking lovingly to ensure his mother’s legacy, her fight for justice, and her message of inclusion would never fade.

On November 25, 2025, at age 73, Akio passed away peacefully at his home in Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne — in the land he loved and that loved him back.

To Akio: thank you for your light, your humility, and your devotion to truth and memory. Thank you for guarding love across continents. Thank you for reminding us that roots are not only blood or birthplace, but belonging, chosen family, and shared purpose.

May your spirit rest among the ancestors — in the hills of Périgord, in the halls of Les Milandes, and in the whispered prayers of all who continue the work of dignity and unity.

Forever in gratitude,
Maison Noire Américaine

27/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving, Famille!

Today, across tables big and small, we honor the power of coming together - not just to eat, but to remember, to celebrate, and to root ourselves in the legacy that carries us. Whether we are in Paris, Oakland, Atlanta, Dakar, Guadeloupe, or somewhere in between, we gather as one community, one diaspora, one beautifully expansive family.

We give thanks for the stories passed down, the ancestors who cleared the path, the meals that hold our memories, and the joy we continue to make wherever we land. May your day be filled with nourishment — of spirit, of culture, of connection.

From our Maison to yours, merci for being part of our global tribe. We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re grateful to build this vision with you.

🍂 With love, Maison Noire Américaine

22/09/2025

🌟 100 years later…the stage that made her a LEGEND honors her again.🌟

On October 4, 2025, the legendary Théâtre des Champs-Élysées will come alive in honor of a woman who forever changed Paris—and the world: Josephine Baker.

One hundred years after her historic debut on this very stage (October 2, 1925), Paris will celebrate her dazzling career and indomitable spirit. A star of the music hall, a singer, an actress, a mother, a Resistance heroine, and a passionate civil rights activist—Josephine Baker remains a timeless icon of daring, grace, and radiance.

Expect an unforgettable evening of music, dance, and tribute, where her energy and legacy will burn as brightly as ever.

🎶 Josephine Baker Gala
📍 Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, 15 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
🗓 Saturday, October 4, 2025 | 8 PM
💶 Tickets from €30
🔗 theatrechampselysees.fr (link in bio)

A Maison Noire Américaine must for lovers of culture, legacy, and luminous Black brilliance.

19/09/2025

✨ New in Black Paris ✨

From Savannah to the Seine, James Beard Award–winning chef Mashama Bailey has opened L’Arrêt by The Grey in Paris’s 7th arrondissement.

Housed in the former Café de l’Espérance, L’Arrêt blends the soul of Southern Port City cuisine with the elegance of a Left Bank bistro. Think: celery soup, oeuf mayo, croque monsieur—simple, satisfying plates now, with brunch coming in August and full dinner service launching September 8.

With its dark green facade, preserved marble counters, and a story rooted in diaspora history, L’Arrêt isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a cultural bridge.

📍 Rue de l’Université, a short stroll from the Musée d’Orsay and the Seine.

💛 Maison Noire Recommends: Add L’Arrêt to your Black Paris itinerary. This is where Southern soul meets Parisian style—and it’s already buzzing with locals.