The theme for this week is Activism. Food activism can be seen in many aspects of African American History.

 

👉🏾When the Transatlantic Slave Trade started, captured Africans braided seeds and grains into their hair to bring their foods with them as a way of survival. Rice, okra, peanuts, benne, watermelon are some examples of seeds and grains that were hidden and brought from their native homeland.

👉🏾During the Jim Crow era, sit-ins were staged at restaurants that would not serve Black people.

👉🏾During the Civil Rights era, secret baking clubs raised money for fund protests; Black restaurants became meeting places for African American entertainers and leaders to plan protests

👉🏾During the 1960’s, Free Breakfast programs were first started by the Black Panthers to feed hungry children in their communities.

 

References:

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/black-communities-food-as-protest (accessed 2.2.2023)

https://www.bread.org/article/fannie-lou-hamer-pioneer-of-food-justice/ (accessed 2.2.2023)

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/how-hair-was-used-to-smuggle-grains-into-the-caribbean-by-african-slaves (accessed 2.2.2023)

 

Feb/2023 Written and created by: U. R. Taylor, MS, RDN, CDN  and Lindsey Brush

 

📷 Credit: https://www.dandelionridgefarmky.com