Asenath Nicholson

Asenath Hatch Nicholson (born Asenath Hatch; February 24, 1792 – May 15, 1855) was an American writer, philanthropist, and early advocate of veganism. She wrote a first-hand account of the Great Famine in Ireland and campaigned for social reform and humanitarian work. Nicholson wrote some of the earliest works on vegetarianism in the United States, including the first American vegetarian cookbook, Nature's Own Book (1835). She was a proponent of a diet free from animal products, which she advocated in her later work, Kitchen Philosophy for Vegetarians (1849). During the Irish famine, Nicholson distributed food and aid to its victims. Throughout her life, she was committed to physical wellness, pacifism, and social equality.