Tracye McQuirter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tracye McQuirter
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| Born | Washington, DC |
| Occupation | Public Health Nutritionist Vegan Activist Author speaker |
| Education | New York University (MPH, Public Health Nutrition) Amherst College (BA, African American Studies) Sidwell Friends School |
| Genre | Vegan Education, Activism, Lifestyle |
| Notable works | Ageless Vegan (2018) By Any Greens Necessary (2010) “African Vegan Starter Guide” (2015) |
Tracye McQuirter is an American expert in public health nutrition. She is also a well-known author and activist who promotes a vegan (plant-based) lifestyle. In 2024, she was featured in the documentary You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Tracye McQuirter grew up in Washington D.C.. She finished high school at Sidwell Friends School in 1984. She then went to Amherst College, earning her bachelor's degree in 1988. Later, in 2003, she received her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Public Health Nutrition from New York University.
Her Journey to Veganism
Tracye McQuirter learned about vegetarianism in 1986. This happened when actor and activist Dick Gregory spoke at her college, Amherst. During her junior year, she studied in Kenya. Her experiences there helped her decide to become a vegetarian.
When she was an exchange student at Howard University, she found a large community in Washington D.C. of Black people who were vegan or vegetarian. This group, also inspired by Dick Gregory, taught her how to live as a vegan. At that time, it was harder to find vegan food in stores. Tracye noted that they had to cook almost all their meals themselves.
Career and Contributions
In 1996, Tracye McQuirter helped start "BlackVegetarians.com." This was the first website about veganism created by and for African Americans.
Her 2010 book, By Any Greens Necessary, helped more African Americans become interested in veganism. She also worked with the Farm Sanctuary to write the African American Vegan Starter Guide in 2016. These works have helped many people learn about healthy plant-based eating.
Awards and Recognition
Tracye McQuirter has received many honors for her work.
- In 2017, Vegetarian Times magazine called her a "New Food Hero."
- Self Magazine listed her cookbook, Ageless Vegan, as one of the "16 Best Healthy Cookbooks" in 2018.
- In 2019, she was added to the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame.
- PBS also recognized her as a "Woman Thought Leader" in 2019.
- In 2024, VegNews magazine named her one of the "17 Black Vegan Chefs Redefining Plant-Based Food and Community."
