Personal Essay Example: My Food Story

Neither American food nor African American food can be defined explicitly, as they both have very complex origins, and hold a very understanding for different people. That said, American food is a large makeup of many different types of food, often inspired from other cultures, and not all of it originated in America. For example, Asian and Italian cuisines both are often considered major parts of American food, yet clearly, neither originated in America. One of the most prevalent influences from other cultures on American food is “Southern Food,” derived from the African cuisine known as Soul Food. This food is often created using ingredients such as cornmeal, beans, and pork, and it originated from generations of African Americans passing down recipes in the South. However, over time, the majority of the white population in America has culturally appropriated this African American Soul Food, changing it to, “Southern Food,” and often claiming it as their own. The popularity of “Southern Food” demonstrates the common practice of American food culture to extract recipes and cuisines from other cultures without contextualizing the history of its origins, which fails to honor and credit other cultures' foodways.

African American food on the other hand, has a very complex origin, and has continued to develop in many different ways over the years. The origins of African American food began in Africa, and dispersed throughout the globe in many different ways. For example, as enslaved people were transported from Africa to America during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, they brought with them culinary ideas and practices, often integrating these ideas into the kitchens where they worked. In America, African American food continued to develop during the pre-emancipation period, as the enslaved African Americans would often have very limited ingredients and supplies to make their meals. As a result, they would use scraps leftover from meals, take what they could from the kitchens, and grow their own food near their quarters in order to make the best of their situations. They would still continue to incorporate their knowledge of cooking and cuisine from Africa with their limited ingredientes, forming new meals that were often vegetable based, with a very limited amount of meat. This pre-emancipation development of African American food changed its definition, as spaces and social relations forced African Americans to produce food with whatever ingredients they could obtain. 

Following emancipation, African American food further developed, as opportunities for freed African Amerincas increased and many began to become more self-reliant. For example, Fannie Lou’s Freedom Farm was created to help impoverished residents, and provided an education on how to meet nutritional needs through gardening. Tuskegee university was also founded post-emancipation, providing another source of education on self-reliance, teaching its students skills in agriculture and raising livestocks. At the same time, many African Americans expanded Westward after emancipation, using their culinary skills to advance their social position and opportunities. As free African Americans began to develop this self-reliance, increase their wealth and social status, and gain access to livestock and meat, African American food changed significantly once again. Meals made up of corn and pork started to increase in popularity, containing some of the most prominent ingredients in African American Soul Food, which was just starting to develop. At the same time, with this new self-reliance, gardening played a large role in the development of African American food, as many began to grow their own small gardens to provide for themselves.. These newly created recipes created post-emancipation were passed down for generations, forming the base of many traditional African American foods today. 

A further influence on the definition of African American food is tradition and nostalgia. For example, some African Americans may consider foods like Soul Food a way of life and a part of their culture, and they view a rejection of Soul Food as a rejection of their heritage. Others believe that Soul Food is a tool used to fight oppression, and since it was used to provide strength and self-reliance in the past, it is important that it continues to be consumed today. These different types of viewpoints on African American food contribute to the many ways in which people define it.

All of these developments of African American food are just a few of the great number of changes that African American food has experienced over time. In more recent history, additional factors such as redlining and white flight continually contribute to the definition of African American foods, as their communities continually experience very limited access to healthy foods, forcing them to settle for less healthy diet choices.

Overall, from what I have learned this semester, American food is a complex make-up of many different types of foods from different origins, and many of these dishes are extracted from other cultures yet fail to credit the history behind them. African American food, on the other hand, is a constantly changing food, and its definition is viewed differently by many people. However, I have learned this semester that the key aspect in understanding how to define African American food is not found in a clear-cut definition, but instead is understood by examining the origins of the food, recipes, ingredients, history, social relations, spaces, and the many other factors that contribute to the development of the foodways and African American food.