When the boycott of Montgomery buses began in December 1955, the demand for equality and indignation may have fueled the action, but food has fueled the solution.
The idea of food as a food has taken a whole new meaning during “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine transformed America”, a Netflix documentary that the University of Indiana Northwest organized a projection of February 20 in its Berglund auditorium. The documentary, from which a small crowd saw extracts before sampling a real horn of abundance of African diasporical dishes, follows the evolution of African and African-American cuisine by focusing on the social and economic impact of food, said James Wallace, diversity, equity and the director of multicultural affairs of the school.
“Black philanthropy and the importance of food during the civil rights movement are a huge subject,” said Wallace. “The boycotts of Montgomery buses were literally funded by plates sold in dressing tables and hair salons because people had to buy cars and gas to take workers to their work every day. Another is the black panthers, which started the free food program of the people in 1969, and which was the precursor of the breakfast programs that public schools have today.
“Everyone must eat, it is therefore the means for the community to come together, and this activism continues to date.”
Bessie House-Soremekun, professor of African-American studies of the diaspora for school, said that although beans can be found in many different cultures and are not necessarily from black Muslims, the fact that they absorb them in their culture show the historical connection of food.
“This shows how communities were indigenized, how they incorporated food in their lifestyle,” said House-Soremekun. “It is interdisciplinary, bringing together political order and philanthropy on a small scale; When you think of philanthropy, we have become so used to thinking about this large scale when really, these small acts are what really feeds.
University of Indiana Northwest Junior Tanaya Posey, on the left, and Barbara Lee, an employee with a breakfast of Caterer J’s Breakfast Club of Gary, Tear Up Fufu, an African grain paste used to soak up stews, before the portion of food sampling of America. Viewing was one of the festivities for the month of school blacks. (Michelle L. Quinn / Post-Tribune)
Food philanthropy often gives way to entrepreneurship, added Wallace, recalling a woman who took her bakery products to a hair salon to see if what she was doing was good. Once people have seen that the sale of food was an option, they were applying for microgrants to take off the businesses.
“Think of the barbecue of Big Daddy (by Gary): he started like a food truck on the flea market in Cleveland. Now he has two locations, and he still gives back to his community,” said Wallace.
The sampling menu after the show was supported by J’s Breakfast Club in Broadway in Gary and included everything, from simple Fufu, a root paste used to raise a stew, seafood, jambalaya and red beans and rice, among the dishes. Ava Kingsley students, portage; Jaelyn Donald, de Lansing, Illinois; And Eva Everett, from Chesterton, were more than happy to participate.
“It’s the month of black history, so we wanted to show our support,” said Donald. “I appreciated the film, and it’s good to learn culture.”
Michelle L. Quinn is a journalist independent of the post-distribute.
Experts, political decision -makers call for combating business obstacles to stimulate food security in Africa
“African diaspora” – celebrate South African culture through the taste of taste
Black Women in Food Summit: Explore food affairs
Why the West African cuisine has a moment on the American culinary scene