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Michelle Craig McDonald

Michelle Craig McDonald Profile Photo

Michelle Craig McDonald is the Director of the Library & Museum at the American Philosophical Society. She has worked for nearly three decades as an educator and administrator in university settings as well as museums and historic sites.

Her research focuses on trade and consumer behavior in North America and the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th centuries—especially the history of coffee.

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Dec. 1, 2025

An American History of Coffee

Americans love their coffee; according to the Fall 2025 National Coffee Data Trends Report, 66% of adult Americans drink coffee every day, averaging three cups per day. This devotion to the caffeinated beverage is nothing new. Even before Bostonians dumped over 90,000 pounds of tea in the harbor, Americans were sipping cups of joe. George and Martha Washington served tea at the President’s House in New York, and after he stepped down as president, George Washington even tried growing coffee tree...