A Buffet of Black Food History

Summary

This video delves into the rich tapestry of Black American food history, from the contributions of enslaved chefs like Hercules Posey and James Hemings to the influence of African cuisine on Southern dishes. It explores the role of food in activism, such as Georgia Gilmore's Club From Nowhere supporting the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the impact of the Nation of Islam on promoting vegetarianism. The narrative also touches on the challenges faced by Black restaurateurs during Jim Crow era and the significance of establishments like Ben's Chili Bowl in DC's integration.

Takeaways

• 🍖 The modern method of barbecuing has its roots in an exchange between indigenous people and enslaved Africans in the Caribbean during the 16th century.
• 👩‍🍳 Duchess Charity Quamino, a once-enslaved woman from Ghana, became known as the 'Pastry Queen of Rhode Island' in the early 18th century for her frosted plum cake.
• 🍽️ George Washington's enslaved cook, Hercules Posey, was allowed to sell his cooking on the side, earning him a significant income.
• 👨‍🍳 James Hemings, enslaved by Thomas Jefferson, was the first Black chef to study in France and later ran Jefferson's kitchens.
• 🥘 African-inspired dishes began appearing in White women's receipt books in the 1800s, reflecting the influence of enslaved cooks on American cuisine.
• 🍲 The myth that enslaved people were well-fed is debunked, as they often received inadequate rations and were subjected to poor eating conditions.
• 🍴 Early Black restaurateurs like Thomas Downing, the 'Oyster King of New York', catered to high-profile White clients and used his earnings to support Black schools and desegregation efforts.
• 🚂 The basement of Thomas Downing's Oyster House served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, aiding in the freedom of many enslaved people.
• 🍗 The Jim Crow era saw the rise of Black-owned restaurants that also played a role in the Civil Rights Movement, such as providing food for activists and serving as meeting places.
• 🥗 The Nation of Islam encouraged Black Americans to adopt plant-based diets, influencing a shift towards vegetarianism and veganism within the community.

Q & A

What is the significance of the modern barbecuing method in relation to Black American culture?

The modern method of barbecuing originates from an exchange between indigenous people and enslaved Africans in the Caribbean in the 16th century, highlighting the early culinary contributions of Black Americans to American food culture.

Who was Duchess Charity Quamino and what was her contribution to early American cuisine?

Duchess Charity Quamino was a once-enslaved woman from Ghana who became known as the 'Pastry Queen of Rhode Island' for her frosted plum cake in the early 18th century. After gaining her freedom, she started a catering business and was able to buy a home based on the success of her cake.

How did Hercules Posey, a chef enslaved by George Washington, use his culinary skills to his advantage?

Hercules Posey was allowed to sell plates on the side due to the high quality of his cooking, earning him a significant income. He eventually ran away and lived out his years as a chef in New York.

What was unique about James Hemings' experience as a chef enslaved by Thomas Jefferson?

James Hemings was the first Black chef to study in France, learning French cuisine and becoming fluent in the language. He ran Thomas Jefferson's kitchens by the age of 21, and his cooking influenced many recipes associated with the Jefferson estate.

How did the diets of enslaved Africans influence American cuisine?

Enslaved Africans, many of whom had diets heavy on vegetables, contributed to the creation of dishes like gumbo and jambalaya, which evolved from West African stew and jollof respectively.

What was the role of Thomas Downing's Oyster House in the Underground Railroad?

The basement of Thomas Downing's Oyster House served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, providing shelter for runaway slaves amidst wine and molasses bottles.

How did the Jim Crow era impact the types of food and dining experiences available to Black Americans?

During the Jim Crow era, Black Americans were often restricted to 'colored-only' businesses and faced racial stereotypes in food service. However, eateries like Jones Bar-B-Q Diner provided a space for Black-owned businesses to thrive and serve traditional dishes.

What was the significance of the Afro American Cooking School in Baltimore during the Great Depression?

The Afro American Cooking School provided free education and resources for cooks and housewives, offering a valuable skill for job seekers. It also served as a source of food charity during the Great Depression, giving away free samples and boxes of food to those in need.

How did Father Divine's International Peace Mission contribute to food culture during the Great Depression?

Father Divine's International Peace Mission held Holy Communion banquets where followers and the hungry could eat and listen to sermons. They also operated integrated businesses, including restaurants, which did not allow tipping and served quality meals.

What role did food play in the Civil Rights era, particularly in relation to Black activism and community support?

Food played a significant role in the Civil Rights era, with many restaurants and eateries serving as gathering places for activists and community members. Establishments like Ben's Chili Bowl and Dooky Chase's provided support to the movement, offering free meals to protestors and becoming sites of historical significance.

How did Georgia Gilmore's food contributions support the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

Georgia Gilmore, a cook in Alabama, used her culinary skills to raise funds for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She and a group of cooks formed the Club From Nowhere, selling food that brought in significant funds for the boycott, even unknowingly from White buyers.

Outlines

00:00

🍽️ Black American Food History and Its Pioneers

This paragraph delves into the rich tapestry of Black American food history, highlighting the significant contributions of African Americans to the culinary landscape of the United States. From the origins of modern barbecuing techniques to the stories of notable figures like Duchess Charity Quamino, the 'Pastry Queen of Rhode Island', and Hercules Posey, who earned considerable income from his exceptional cooking. The paragraph also touches on the harsh realities of enslaved chefs, the myth of well-fed slaves, and the influence of African cuisine on American dishes. It sets the stage for an exploration of how Black individuals have shaped and been shaped by the history of food in America.

05:03

🍴 Early Black Restaurateurs and the Impact of Jim Crow Laws

This section of the script focuses on the rise of early Black restaurateurs, such as Thomas Downing, the 'Oyster King of New York', who catered to elite clientele and even received a prestigious gift from Queen Victoria. It also discusses the dual role of Downing's establishment as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The paragraph explores the challenges faced by Black Americans during the Jim Crow era, including the necessity of carrying packed meals for long journeys and the discrimination they faced in restaurants. It also mentions the perseverance of Black-owned eateries like Jones Bar-B-Q Diner and the controversial Coon Chicken Inn, which capitalized on racist stereotypes to attract customers, while Black workers dealt with harassment and derogatory treatment.

10:04

🎓 The Influence of Education and Cults on Black Food Culture

The script moves on to discuss the role of education in shaping Black food culture, with the Afro American Cooking School providing free education and resources for aspiring cooks and housewives during the Great Depression. It also touches on the controversial figure of Father Divine, a cult leader who used his organization to provide food and shelter for those in need during the Great Depression, while also advocating for racial integration and operating various businesses, including restaurants. The paragraph highlights the complex interplay between social movements, education, and unconventional figures in the evolution of Black American foodways.

15:06

🗽 The Civil Rights Movement and Its Culinary Intersections

This paragraph explores the intersection of food and the Civil Rights Movement, detailing the role of restaurants as sites of protest and integration. It mentions the integration of Washington, DC restaurants and the opening of Ben's Chili Bowl, which became a hub for the community and a site of historical significance. The script also discusses the role of food in activism, with figures like Georgia Gilmore using her culinary skills to support the Montgomery Bus Boycott and civil rights activists. The paragraph paints a picture of food not only as a necessity but also as a tool for community building and social change during a pivotal time in American history.

20:06

🌱 The Emergence of Vegetarianism and Veganism in Black Communities

The final paragraph of the script examines the shift towards plant-based diets within Black communities, influenced by figures like Dick Gregory and organizations such as the Nation of Islam. It discusses the historical context of meat consumption among Black Americans and the economic and health motivations behind adopting vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. The paragraph also acknowledges the persistence of meat-based dishes in Black cuisine, despite the advocacy for plant-based diets, reflecting the ongoing dialogue around food, health, and cultural identity within Black communities.

Keywords

💡Food History

Food history refers to the study of the origins, development, and cultural significance of various food items and cuisines over time. In the context of the video, it specifically explores the evolution and impact of food within Black American culture, highlighting the contributions of African Americans to the nation's food landscape and the historical moments that have shaped their culinary heritage.

💡Barbecuing

Barbecuing is a method of cooking meat, typically by slow roasting over low heat, often in the open air. The script explains that the modern method of barbecuing originated from an exchange between indigenous people and enslaved Africans in the Caribbean in the 16th century, showcasing the significant influence of African culinary traditions on contemporary American barbecue techniques.

💡Enslaved Chefs

Enslaved chefs were individuals who were held in bondage and forced to work in kitchens, often for the benefit of their enslavers. The script mentions figures like Hercules Posey and James Hemings, who despite their circumstances, made significant contributions to American cuisine, illustrating the resilience and creativity of enslaved individuals in the face of adversity.

💡African Inspired Dishes

African inspired dishes are culinary creations that have been influenced by or derived from traditional African recipes and cooking methods. The script discusses how these dishes, such as gumbo and jambalaya, evolved from West African stews and jollof, reflecting the adaptation and integration of African culinary practices into American cuisine.

💡Jim Crow South

The Jim Crow South refers to the era of racial segregation and discrimination in the Southern United States, lasting from the late 19th to mid-20th century. The script describes how Black women like Georgia Gilmore played crucial roles in supporting the Civil Rights Movement through food, such as by selling food to raise funds for the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

💡Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom. The script mentions a Black-owned restaurant that doubled as a stop along the Underground Railroad, emphasizing the dual role of such establishments in providing both sustenance and liberation.

💡Sharecropping

Sharecropping was a system of agricultural labor that developed in the Southern United States after the Civil War, in which poor farmers worked on land owned by someone else in exchange for a share of the crop. The script discusses how sharecroppers were often forbidden from growing their own food, leading to a reliance on cheap, unhealthy diets.

💡Black American Restaurateurs

Black American restaurateurs are individuals of African descent who have owned and operated restaurants in the United States. The script highlights figures like Thomas Downing, the 'Oyster King of New York', who not only achieved personal success but also contributed to the empowerment and upliftment of the Black community through their businesses.

💡Civil Rights Era

The Civil Rights Era refers to the period in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s when there was a significant movement to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. The script connects the Civil Rights Era to food by discussing how Black-owned restaurants and eateries played a role in the movement, serving as meeting places for activists and sources of support for the cause.

💡Plant-Based Diets

Plant-based diets refer to ways of eating that primarily or entirely consist of foods derived from plant sources, with little or no animal products. The script notes the rise of plant-based diets among Black Americans, influenced by figures like Dick Gregory and organizations like the Nation of Islam, which advocated for healthier and more ethical dietary choices.

💡Food and Activism

Food and activism refers to the use of food as a means of supporting social, political, or environmental causes. The script illustrates this through stories of individuals like Georgia Gilmore, who used her culinary skills to raise funds for the Civil Rights Movement, and the Food For Freedom program, which provided sustenance during a food blockade in Mississippi, showing how food can be a powerful tool for activism and community support.

Highlights

Introduction to the rich history of food in Black American culture.

The influence of 18th-century Scottish visitors on North Carolina's food scene.

20th-century Black cult leader's innovative methods to feed the hungry.

The enduring legacy of Black-owned restaurants that have empowered communities for decades.

The dual role of a Black-owned restaurant as a hub for food and a safe haven during the Underground Railroad.

The pivotal role of a Black woman in the Jim Crow South in sustaining the Montgomery Bus Boycott financially.

The paradox of a religious organization promoting vegetarianism while serving meat in its establishments.

The origins of modern barbecuing techniques rooted in the exchange between indigenous people and enslaved Africans.

The story of Duchess Charity Quamino, the 'Pastry Queen of Rhode Island', and her impact on the culinary world.

Hercules Posey's journey from being a prized chef to gaining freedom and a new life in New York.

James Hemings, the enslaved brother of Sally Hemings, and his pioneering culinary education in France.

The evolution of American cuisine with the integration of African inspired dishes in the 1800s.

The harsh realities and myths surrounding the diet and nutrition of enslaved people in America.

The struggles and strategies of sharecroppers to overcome malnutrition and poor eating habits post-slavery.

The rise of early Black restaurateurs like Thomas Downing, the 'Oyster King of New York'.

The significance of the basement of Thomas Downing's Oyster House as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

The impact of the Jim Crow era on Black food culture, including the challenges and innovations of the time.

The story of Georgia Gilmore and her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement through her cooking.

The role of food in the Civil Rights era, particularly during events like the March on Washington.

The influence of the Nation of Islam on promoting plant-based diets among Black Americans.

The emergence of vegetarianism and veganism among Black Americans in the 20th century.

Conclusion and call to action for viewers to reflect on modern parallels and share their favorite Black chef recipes or restaurants.

Transcripts

I urge you right now to turn off this video

if you're hungry because we're about to talk about

a lot of food and food-history moments

in Black American culture.

What juicy morsels amazed an 18th-century

Scottish visitor to North Carolina?

How did a 20th century Black cult leader feed the hungry?

What Black-owned restaurants have been

powering the people for decades?

Which Black-owned restaurant doubled

as a stop along the Underground Railroad?

How did a Black woman in the Jim Crow South

help keep the Montgomery Bus Boycott from going broke?

And which religious organization encouraged

Black people to give up meat

while also serving meat in its restaurants?

Let's talk about all of this and more

in "Black American Food History".

Don't forget to like this video and subscribe.

(upbeat music)

(bright country music)

Black people have been contributing to

and reshaping this nation's food landscape

pretty much since the beginning.

For instance, the modern method of barbecuing

comes from an exchange between indigenous people

and enslaved Africans in the Caribbean in the 16th century.

A once-enslaved woman from Ghana named

Duchess Charity Quamino was known

as the "Pastry Queen of Rhode Island"

for her frosted plum cake in the early 18th century.

After gaining her freedom,

she started a catering business and eventually

bought a home off the strength of her frosted plum cake.

But what about when America was officially founded?

George Washington the slave owner had Hercules Posey,

whose cooking was so good that he was

allowed to sell plates on the side.

This endeavor earned him a round $200

or nearly $6,000 a year in today's money.

He later ran away and documentation

turned up showing that he lived out his years

as a chef in New York.

By the way, the picture floating around online

when you search Hercules' name

has actually been determined to not be him.

James Hemings, the enslaved brother of Sally Hemings,

was the first Black chef to study in France

due to the insistence of his enslaver, Thomas Jefferson.

James was only 19 and also became fluent in French

and was literate.

By the time he was 21 years old,

he was running Jefferson's kitchens.

Though he died by suicide at 36,

his cooking was alleged to be the source

of many recipes called by the

Jefferson estate over the years.

While Hercules and James are two of the most

known enslaved chefs, there were many unnamed cooks

who created masterpieces against their will.

Experts who comb the receipt books,

AKA early recipe books kept by White women,

noticed that the earliest books

were filled with European recipes, but by the 1800s,

African inspired dishes were appearing.

Back in Africa, many cultures had diets heavy on veggies,

if not completely vegetarian,

though there were definitely meat eaters.

West African stew would become gumbo

and jollof would become jambalaya.

A Scottish visitor to North Carolina

wrote that enslaved people were

"the only people that seem to pay attention

to the various uses that wild vegetables may be put to."

While being a chef could afford enslaved people

a degree of autonomy and power,

and even sometimes extra scraps of food,

the work was grueling, as was all enslaved labor.

The kitchen was usually located

right next to the Big House and stayed open for visitors,

meaning chefs had to be on call and at the ready.

Rest and privacy was rare and they were

forced to deal with hot and less than ideal equipment

in frequent heat.

The New Orleans sadist and serial killer Delphine LaLaurie,

famously depicted in season three

of "American Horror Story",

was alleged to keep her enslaved chef chained to the oven.

One of the most persistent myths about slavery

is that enslaved people were well-fed.

You know, people say that when they wanna talk about

how there were poor White people at the same time

that there were enslaved Black people.

Not only is the well-fed argument

a pathetic excuse for the bondage of human beings,

it was an untrue one.

Wrote food historian Michael Twitty,

"While prized or skilled workers

may have received more food, enslaved women, in turn,

received reduced rations during pregnancy.

Elderly men too old to work might be

completely denied an allowance

and children were largely fed on mush

that was filled with parasites and chips of wood."

This is why narratives of the enslaved

sometimes reference food fantasies and food theft,

and why historians have talked about women

braiding food like rice into their hair for emergencies

in the case of starvation.

Adrian E. Miller wrote that most plantations

rationed out food thusly.

"Once a week, the enslaved got five pounds of some starch

that could be cornmeal, rice or sweet potatoes,

they got a couple of pounds of smoked, salted or dried meat,

which could be beef, fish or pork, whatever was cheapest,

and a jug of molasses, and that was it."

The enslaved would stretch this food

as best they could and supplement with

hunting and farming if they had the time and space.

Often times, they didn't.

The persistence of malnutrition and poor eating habits

would continue after slavery into the sharecropping era.

Sharecroppers were often forbidden from

growing their own sustenance on the land

they rented and worked,

so in addition to being locked into

scammy contracts with mounting debt,

workers bought overpriced and highly salted products

from White landowners and shops.

Most sharecroppers relied on diets of cheap,

highly salted pork, cornbread, beans and molasses.

As it was during slavery,

it wasn't uncommon for adults and children

to suffer from health issues like pellagra and rickets.

While enslaved people toiled in bondage

with underwhelming diets,

there were early Black restaurateurs like

the "Oyster King of New York", Thomas Downing.

His fine dining establishment started in the 1820s,

catered to White people like Charles Dickens

and even Queen Victoria,

with oyster dishes like stuffed turkey,

scalloped oysters and fish in oyster sauce.

The Queen enjoyed the food so much

that she sent Downing a gold chronometer.

Today, that would be like the equivalent of gifting a Rolex.

At the time, oysters were a very common food

not associated with wealth

and oyster bars were all over New York,

but Downing's place attracted fancy customers

because he had a chandelier.

Meanwhile, the basement of Thomas Downing's Oyster House

served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Wrote Sandee Brawarski in 2001,

"Amid bottles of wine and molasses,

they found shelter from the bands of blackbirders,

bounty hunters roaming the streets in search of runaways."

So while Black Americans could not eat

in Downing's restaurant, they could gain freedom through it.

With his restaurant earnings,

Downing also funded Black schools and desegregation efforts.

When he died in 1866,

he was very wealthy and popular and

New York's Chamber of Commerce even closed in his honor.

I doubt he would've been so popular

if they would have known about the

basement of the Oyster House.

(upbeat jazz music)

A very important reality from the Jim Crow era,

the romanticization of slavery and the

stereotyping of Black people,

didn't leave the realm of food untouched.

We can think about how Black people

were forced to travel long distances

without being able to stop for food,

making "cold sandwiches, fried chicken,

slices of buttered bread, hard boiled eggs,

a little paper of salt and pepper,

fruit and a slice of pound cake"

ideal lunches to be packed in shoe boxes

and rationed out throughout the trip.

If Black Americans were lucky on their trip

and had an up-to-date copy of the "Green Book",

they could stop at newly established and humble eateries

like Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Arkansas.

It was founded around 1910 and it is the

oldest continually operating Black-owned restaurant,

still serving its original menu

of nothing but chopped pork, by the pound, on white bread.

Another example of Jim Crow's impact on food

is the popular chain of Coon Chicken Inn restaurants,

first founded in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1925.

With big red lips serving as the doors to the restaurant,

the place was known for its whole fried chickens

meant to entice White racists

looking for slave chicken and service.

The menus, toothpicks, napkins and decor

had the racist cartoon,

giving patrons a laugh and making them think

they were getting authentic fried chicken

from the people who fried it best.

However, as a former employee would recall,

Black people weren't allowed to serve in the kitchen.

Instead, they were servers,

which meant they had to deal with

racist jokes and harassment.

For some workers, the extra stress was worth it,

seeing as many waiters brought home

$100-$200 a night in tips.

A former employee remarked that insults

and jabs didn't go unpunished.

He told historian Psyche A. Williams-Forson smugly,

"Just don't mess with the people who bring your food."

These niggas eating spit chicken!

While racists gorged themselves on chicken

of questionable quality,

Black chefs were honing their crafts

and capitalizing on them.

Restaurants like the aforementioned Jones Bar-B-Q Diner

and Patillo's Bar-B-Q in Beaumont, Texas

opened in humble shotgun houses and backyards.

Black women in rural train-stop towns

worked as waiter-carriers,

whipping up hot biscuits, chicken and coffee

to hawk to passengers.

A favorite food origination story of mine

is Prince's Hot Chicken Shake in Nashville, Tennessee,

which began serving its signature dish in 1945.

The restaurant was started by James Thorton Prince,

a serial cheater and womanizer whose girlfriend

got so angry with him that she cooked him

fried chicken with hot pepper as revenge,

but Prince liked the chicken so much

that he and his brothers developed their own recipe

and opened the chicken shack.

The chicken was so popular and close

to the Grand Ole Opry auditorium

that a separate room for White patrons was built.

They had to walk through the main dining room

and the kitchen to get to their special little room.

From the 1920s through the 1960s,

Baltimore was the home of the Afro American Cooking School,

which was free for students and supported

by the Afro American Newspaper,

who viewed cooking as a marketable skill for job seekers.

The Afro American Cooking School

also provided educational cooking materials

and live demos for cooks and housewives.

In 1932, the school held an exhibition attended

by 4,000 people.

During the toil of the Great Depression,

the school was generous enough to give away

free samples and entire boxes of food.

Another source of food charity

was the controversial cult leader Father Divine.

And before somebody comments saying otherwise,

yes, he was a cult leader,

the man claimed to be the living God

and told his followers not to get married

or have sex even though he married a White woman.

But anyways, that's beside the point.

We moving on.

Beginning in the 1920s,

his organization, the International Peace Mission,

held Holy Communion banquets where followers,

and later those just hungry during the Great Depression,

could eat and listen to sermons.

When Father Divine wasn't available,

diners were treated to recorded audio

while they ate their meals.

The Peace Mission also built and operated

dozens of hotels, laundromats and grocery stores

in addition to restaurants.

Mission restaurants in the '60s detailed

$2.50 Louisiana gulf shrimp and

boiled tender lambettes with mint jelly

and $3.25 jumbo Australian lobster tail.

Though Father Divine was passionately vocal

against the *BLACK* issue of lynching,

he rejected the theory of race and as a result,

his cult and businesses were integrated.

They also didn't allow tipping.

The last dining establishment owned by the

International Peace Mission, called Keyflower Dining Room,

closed in Philly in 2006.

Also happening in the early 20th century

was the Great Migration,

which brought many Southern dishes and chefs to the North.

Harlem, whose population swelled with Black Americans

and immigrants,

brought new flavors to the Manhattan streets.

Contemporary food writer Ollie Stewart

remarked that walking the streets meant being hit with

"aromas of buttered biscuits, candied sweets

and rice baptized in sausage gravy."

Eateries that provided newbies a taste of home

did especially well.

There were Jamaican curries mingling with

New Orleans crawfish bisque and pigs feet and chitterlings.

Many of these dishes were available at infamous rent parties

where Harlem residents held informal

apartment events for a few coins.

Guests would be treated to lots of live music,

dancing, liquor and food.

Other common dishes served at these events

were stewed cabbage, hoppin John, fried fish and cornbread.

Rent parties were also popular in Chicago

and among other Black enclaves in urban areas.

By the way, I can't leave from the early 20th century

segment without mentioning George Washington Carver,

who yes, you know found over 300 uses for the peanut,

but did you also know he found over

100 uses for the sweet potato,

including a sweet potato bread recipe?

It was published in the Afro American Newspaper in 1939.

(upbeat jazz music)

The Civil Rights era definitely had a lot to do with food.

When we think of the places that were

demonstrated in for integration,

many were restaurants and lunch counters.

In Washington, DC from the 1940s to '60s,

most of the dining establishments were White only

despite the city's non-dixie status.

This included government buildings

like the Department of Justice cafeteria

and the Federal Reserve Bank cafeteria.

Black workers had to deal with long lines

at the few eateries available to them.

This of course meant that the few Black eateries flourished.

Restaurants in Northwest DC,

now called the Shaw Neighborhood,

benefited from the area being a bustling pit stop

on the Chitlin Circuit,

overflowing with jazz culture.

A series of anti-discrimination probes

led to the discovery of a 19th century law

banning discrimination in DC restaurants,

and in 1953, restaurants in DC were integrated.

Five years later, the famous Ben's Chili Bowl

was opened by Trinidadian immigrant Ben Ali

and his American wife Virginia.

Their popular chili came slathered on dishes like

burgers, hot dogs and fries and they

served up great pies and cakes.

The success of Ben's Chili Bowl was

tied to the success of other Black

entrepreneurs in the area.

Said Virginia Ali, "We found the architect, the contractor,

plumber, the electrician and the cabinet maker,

all African American-owned businesses,

right here in the neighborhood.

We were their customers for the duration of their careers."

The restaurant also became the sight of historical events.

In the aftermath of the 1968 unrest

that followed Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination,

Ben's Chili Bowl was allowed to stay open

despite a three-day curfew and served Black activists

along with firemen and police.

Many other restaurants played a role

in Black activism in the '60s.

New Orleans' Dooky Chase,

started by a jazz musician named Edgar Dooky Chase in 1936,

became world renowned for its Creole-style soul food

after initially being a lottery ticket and po'boy stand.

When Edgar married his wife Leah,

a chef with experience in fancy French Quarter

restaurants with a bunch of family recipes,

the joint began attracting politicians,

musicians, business people and activists

strategizing in the area.

Even though New Orleans was segregated,

the food was so good that the city

begrudgingly turned a blind eye

to Dooky Chase's integrated dining room.

While many restaurants served typical Southern food

like catfish and greens, at Dooky Chase's,

you could also get fancy dishes like

butter fried quail with grits,

or Creole specialties like shrimp Clemenceau.

In case you're wondering,

that last one involves shrimp, potatoes,

mushrooms and peas in a rich broth.

I need that!

Until her death in 2019 at 96,

Ms. Chase cooked and supported Black causes.

In Atlanta, James and Robert Paschal

opened a 30-seat lunch counter in 1947

that grew in popularity and relocated

to the Atlanta University Center by 1959.

Initially known as Paschal Brothers,

the restaurant got rave reviews on its chicken,

cobblers and collared greens.

The AUC area was usually devoid of White people,

but the restaurant's famed food eventually attracted them.

The restaurant was very popular in part

because it had an atmosphere for everyone.

There was both a formal dining area

as well as a casual lunch counter and grill.

Paschal's restaurant was also friendly

to homosexuals and seated Whites and Blacks

at the same tables,

despite colored-only business and liquor licenses.

Not only did Paschal's employ as many

Atlanta University Center students as possible,

but it also attracted civil rights leaders.

Everyone from Fannie Lou Hamer

to Martin Luther King Jr. to Andrew Young

to Lonnie King dined at the restaurant,

which often fed organizers and

rank and file members alike for free.

James and Robert Paschal were even known

to provide bail money for protestors.

One of my favorite Black food stories

involves a magnificent woman down in Alabama

named Georgia Gilmore.

A local reverend described her thusly,

"She didn't take any junk from anybody.

It didn't matter who you were.

Even the White officers let her be.

The word was, 'don't mess with Georgia Gilmore,

she might cut you."

One of her sons described her as an

"equal opportunity name caller.

Everybody was heifer or whore to her."

This included the various civil rights activists

she fed throughout the years like Martin Luther King Jr.

He loved her pork chops and stuffed bell peppers,

her roni and rice.

In the early 1950s, she was working at the

National Lunch Company where she was

known for her amazing food.

When the Montgomery Bus Boycott began in 1955,

she was very involved.

She brought food to church organization meetings,

carrying along picnic baskets of chicken sandwiches

and pies for sale.

Then she, along with a group of other enthusiastic cooks,

began what would become known as the Club From Nowhere.

As supporting the bus boycott meant

purchasing a lot of gas and servicing a lot of cars,

a lot of money was needed.

Ms. Georgia's delectable food brought in the big bucks,

around $1,400 a week in today's money,

even from unsuspecting White people

who bought the food not knowing

it was going towards the Montgomery Improvement Association.

In March 1956, Georgia Gilmore testified

as a defense witness during the MIA's court challenge

of segregated seating on buses.

The National Lunch Company fired her

in retaliation within days.

Fortunately for Georgia, MLK was on her side.

He gave her money to buy necessary cooking equipment

so she could run a restaurant out of her home.

In addition to selling food to members of her community,

she hosted dinners for MLK and Lyndon B. Johnson

and MLK and Robert Kennedy.

JFK once even munched on her chitlins

and sweet potato pie aboard the Air Force One.

Georgia spent her life feeding people, especially activists.

When she died in 1990 at the age of 70,

she was preparing chicken and potato salad

for people marching for the 25th anniversary

of the March on Washington.

Mourners at her wake ate the chicken

and potato salad in remembrance.

Speaking of the March on Washington,

organizing for the event included

getting food together for hungry marchers

who were directed on what to pack and eat

for the long and hot day.

They were told "be kind to your stomach.

Don't eat or drink the wrong foods in the wrong quantities."

Because many marchers were poor,

nearly 80,000 bag lunches were prepared

by a slew of volunteers.

Most were made at Riverside Church in Harlem

by hundreds of volunteers for two days and two nights.

These lunches were 50 cents each for marchers

and included a cheese sandwich, a pack of mustard,

an apple and a slice of marbled or pound cake.

Another little known Black food history story

comes from Mississippi,

during the 1962 to 1963 Greenwood Food Blockage.

At the time, Greenwood was a voting and

civil rights battleground.

The Le Flore County Board of Supervisors, all White,

abruptly decided to end its participation

in the Federal Surplus Commodity Program,

in which the federal government

bought surplus food from farmers and

distributed it to the needy and welfare programs.

Black locals who were already not getting enough

food as it was made up at least 90% of the recipients.

Around 20,000 Black people were therefore set to go hungry.

Mississippi NAACP President Aaron Henry

worked swiftly with the

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

and a coalition of smaller civil rights organizations

to create Food For Freedom in a month's time.

Food For Freedom utilized a food network

with people from "Los Angeles to Chicago

to Ann Arbor to New York City",

and also supplied meds, clothing and donations.

Noted activist Fannie Lou Hamer was just

one of many everyday people who used her home

for food distribution through the Food for Freedom program.

Comedian Dick Gregory helped bring national attention

to the cause and the blockade ended as a result

in March 1963, with the Board of Supervisors

sufficiently pressured into reinstating the surplus program.

The quick assembly of a food program

in the face of retribution for daring

to mobilize Black voters had an especially great effect,

a large number of Black people ended up registering to vote.

So let me bring up Dick Gregory again.

Later after the food blockade ended,

he was a major proponent of vegetarianism

and later veganism.

He was just one of a small but growing number

of Black people endorsing plant-based diets.

Outside of Rastafarians,

the earliest and most vocal group

advocating for plant-based diets was the Nation of Islam,

which was founded in 1930.

By the 1960s, Elijah Muhammad was urging Black Americans

to let go of soul food and especially swine,

saying that Black people "are by nature,

vegetable and fruit eating people."

The Nation also started a lot of businesses

and produced and provided its own food to market

under its economic plan.

Of course, the food most linked to them are the

popular bean pies, which along with bean soup

and fresh vegetables were popular sides

for their meat dishes.

Because early 20th century Black Americans

usually only got meat from cheap cuts of pork

used for vegetables or pork fat used for frying,

but not actual meat entrees.

For example, in "Coming of Age in Mississippi",

Anne Moody detailed her bland and

unfulfilling diet of peanut butter biscuits,

beans, cornbread et cetera in comparison

to the meat-rich diets of her employers.

When her mother rejected money from her estranged father,

Anne was pissed because she notes that the

money could buy them meat instead of beans

to eat all the time.

The luxury appeal of meat meant even

the Nation of Islam couldn't dismiss its lucrativeness.

Though the Nation encouraged people to give up meat,

it still produced poultry and beef

to sell in its market and restaurants.

When it eventually opened a formal dining establishment,

Shabazz Restaurant in Chicago,

the menu included baked chicken, roast beef,

Salisbury steak and the finest in salads,

vegetables and desserts.

Even still,

as those of us living in the 21st century can see,

plant-based living would eventually take hold.

Celebrities who gave up meat for secular reasons,

like Dick Gregory, would only make vegetarianism

more popular.

more Black vegetarians and vegans followed in the '70s,

like Ruby Dee and Cicely Tyson.

I hope y'all enjoyed this brief journey

into Black America and Food History.

Hopefully I've demonstrated the importance of food.

Can you think of modern parallels for things

I've mentioned while keeping class

and gender and the environment in mind?

And what's your favorite recipe or restaurant

from a Black chef?

I'll be looking for links in the comments below.

Be sure to check out the full list

of sources and further reading materials on my Patreon

because there's a lot more to explore

from excellent foodway historians like Fred Opie,

Michael Twitty and Psyche A. Williams-Forson.

Also, if you're looking for a new recipe,

try out Rosa Parks' peanut butter pancakes

using the link in the description box.

But now, I've gotta go because filming this made me hunrgy.