Soul food has played a significant role each year as Black American families hold their Thanksgiving celebrations.
Black Americans have passed down traditions and recipes dating back to slavery by creating their own cultural connections to the holiday aside from the usually inaccurate American telling of Pilgrims and Native Americans.
“I would say that the majority of Thanksgiving dishes have a special place in the Black community. Going back to slavery, our ancestors had to make the best out of the scraps they were given. Now, we see the evolution of these dishes, and the process to achieve good food. These dishes not only filled your stomach, but it was a sense of community,” said Carmon Wallace, a graduating senior, psychology major, and Head Chef of Cordon Blue.
Thanks to the enslaved chef of Thomas Jefferson, James Hemmings, Black Americans were introduced to mac and cheese. The two of them tasted noodles with cheese when traveling to France and Italy and brought the idea back to America, per The Root.
“My favorite dish is my mom’s mac and cheese, it’s the one dish I request every year,” said Layla Kennedy, a third-year mathematics major and Vice President of Cordon Blue.
Soul food is often enjoyed on other days, but on Thanksgiving, many Black people pull out more than what you see on a typical soul food plate.
“My whole thanksgiving plate is my favorite dish. If I had to choose my favorite dish to eat on Thanksgiving, it’s collard greens and red pepper hash. It’s something about the greens being cooked down with ham and adding my great grandmother’s homemade pepper hash to top it off. It’s a recipe that’s passed down generationally, and I’m always looking forward to it every year,” said Wallace.
Sides such as collard greens were a food enslaved people were allowed to grow and harvest for themselves, per The Root.
“Soul food is basically the heart of our holiday. It’s how we stay connected to our roots and keep the love flowing through every bite,” said Katelyn Flowers, a graduating senior and entrepreneurship major.
Recipes for dishes like dressing (some refer to it as stuffing) stem from West African dishes that have been passed down by ancestors for generations and have become a staple on many Black families’ dinner plates ever since, per The Root.
“My grandma and mom save their recipes and make sure we know them too. It’s like passing down little pieces of our family story,” said Flowers.
After dinner sweets such as sweet potato pie and cobblers like peach and blackberry are popular desserts often eaten rather than pumpkin pie by many Black families. Sweet potatoes were an efficient and low maintenance crop many enslaved people enjoyed, per The Root.
“They’re so tied to our culture and family gatherings. These dishes bring everyone together, and they carry so much history and love,” said Flowers.
Many believe it’s important for the Black community to keep these dishes and recipes alive for future generations to enjoy and pay homage to their ancestors.
“Whether it is spent in a small or large setting, the process of cooking and sharing food is one of the best ways to bring people together from all walks of life,” said Wallace.