This four-part blog series is inspired by the Netflix docu-series, “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.” I will delve into the legal and public policy implications behind the narratives presented by series host, Stephen Satterfield, throughout the show’s four episodes. This blog series aims to explore the impact of laws and policies on the development and preservation of Black Americans’ culinary heritage.
There’s little doubt that the history of slavery in the Black American story is a factor in the culture’s culinary development. “Soul food is the African-American version [of comfort food] — a cuisine forged during several centuries as a response to persistent trauma from slavery and oppression,” says lawyer, public policy advisor, and culinary historian Adrian Miller.
Through the slave trade beginning 400+ years ago, many West Africans were transported to the coastal cities of the American southeast, known for their humid climates and access to waterways. As such, Black southern cuisine is known for its incorporation of seafood from the Atlantic (like shrimp, catfish, and crab) and crops and vegetables like rice, collard greens, and okra that thrive in the humid Southeastern climate. Slavery, imprinted into America’s constitutional blueprint, gave rise to the development of a fusion cuisine that melded culinary traditions of “West Africa, Western Europe, and the Americas,” according to Miller.
The first and second episodes of “High on the Hog” feature Satterfield’s exploration of Benin, Africa and Charleston, South Carolina. The West African nation, Benin, is known for its ‘Gate of No Return,’ a place where captive Africans were forced onto boats to begin their dangerous journey to the Americas. Charleston was a major port for the trans-atlantic slave trade with over 400,000 enslaved people entering America through the city’s port. It makes sense that the culinary traditions of Benin can be seen in Charleston. For example, Satterfield eats a traditional dish in Benin made with red beans and red palm oil. The dish’s vibrant red color makes a statement, and the color is reminiscent of the vibrant red dishes that are staples in Black American cuisine like Charleston red rice and Louisiana’s jambalaya.
As this blog series explores the legal structures and public policies that have influenced the development of Black cuisine, keeping in mind the impact of the slave trade is important because it sheds light on the historical context in which Black cuisine evolved, highlighting the resilience and ingenuity of enslaved individuals who adapted their culinary traditions under oppressive conditions.
The next three parts of this blog series will discuss intellectual property and cultural erasure, black farmers and land loss, and potential solutions forward. Click here to read Part 2.
This blog post was written by Amber Ward, a law student at UCLA School of Law and research assistant with the Resnick Center for Food Law & Policy.
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