A brief look at Black American history told through 10 food traditions (2024)

FAQs

What are traditional black history foods? ›

Several foods that are essential in southern cuisine and soul food were domesticated or consumed in the African savanna and the tropical regions of West and Central Africa. These include watermelon, pigeon peas, black-eyed peas, okra, sorghum, and peppers.

Enslaved Africans brought their cooking and farming traditions to the Americas, and those were then transformed by the conditions they faced. The heritage of many recipes considered today to be soul food were founded in the crops and techniques first developed by enslaved communities.

Many quintessential American dishes are unique takes on food originally from other culinary traditions, including pizza, hot dogs, and Tex-Mex. Regional highlights include a range of fish dishes in the coastal states, gumbo, and cheesesteak.

“The top ten favorite foods reported included: 1) chicken (of any kind), 2) collard greens, 3) cornbread, 4) green or string beans, 5) fish (fried catfish is implied), 6) turnip greens, 7) potatoes, 8) apples, 9) tomatoes, fried chicken, and eggs tied, and 10) steak and ice cream tied.”

Born a slave in 1861, George Washington Carver went on to become one of the most prolific agri-business inventors in American history. He invented crop rotation, and more than 300 uses for the peanut. including Worcestershire sauce, cooking oil, and cosmetics. His work is at the foundation of modern farming.

Maize, rice, peanuts, yams and dried beans were found as important staples of slaves on some plantations in West Africa before and after European contact. Keeping the traditional “stew” cooking could have been a form of subtle resistance to the owner's control.

African cuisine offers a rich tapestry of flavors and dishes, from the aromatic Jollof Rice of West Africa to the spicy piri piri chicken of Mozambique. Explore the diverse culinary traditions of the continent, including tagines from North Africa, fufu from West and Central Africa, and injera from Ethiopia and Eritrea.

African cooking starts as a vegan base, packed with varieties of vegetables, and then the meat is added. Hence, vegetables are widely eaten and consumed through soups or stews. Africans also tend to consume more beans through a plethora of dishes such as moi moi, rice and beans, akara, and varieties of bean porridge.

Top 10 famous American foods: burgers, pizza, hot dogs, fried chicken, apple pie, mac and cheese, BBQ ribs, chili, tacos, grilled cheese sandwich. There are many foods that are famous in America and have become a beloved part of the country's culinary culture.

Food is considered a part of intangible cultural heritage, a way of life that is passed down from generation to generation. Traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and dining etiquette can reflect the values and beliefs of different communities and are all vital parts of cultural heritage.

What is traditional black history food? ›

Collard greens, cornbread, fried chicken, and sweet potato pie are just a few of the many recipes that tell the stories of survival and community. Gullah/Geechee Cuisine: From the influence of West Africa, dishes like gumbo and benne wafers still thrive along the Southeastern coast.

Jambalaya is a Creole/Cajun rice dish traditionally filled with chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp, okra, celery onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and garlic, all cooked in one pot in spices and oil to taste. This dish pulls from French, Spanish, Indigenous, and West African traditions in cooking.

Jambalaya (mixed rice, meat and vegetables), feijoada (black beans and meat), gombo(okra), and hopping johns (peas) are all dishes that have been re-adapted from Senegal, Nigeria, Guinea and Benin. You will find variations of these dishes in America and the Caribbean region.

The popular term for African-American cooking is “soul food.” Many of these foods are rich in nutrients, as found in collard greens and other leafy green and yellow vegetables, legumes, beans, rice, and potatoes. Other parts of the diet, however, are low in fiber, calcium, potassium, and high in fat.

In the 1800's, when women had very little prospects or freedom, and couldn't even vote, Mary Spencer from Salem, Massachusetts created a candy called Gibralter.