Food As Activism
Volume 1, No. 29
Have you ever had a hard time not celebrating too early? I am working hard to balance celebrating the small steps on this health journey without losing sight of the big picture. I am going to work at maintaining in October due a lot of travel.
I was a little skeptical of detoxing. This detox has definitely changed my mind. The detox teas I am drinking are making me fuller longer. I find my appetite has decreased as my output (LOL) increases. I am feeling lighter, sleeping better, inflammation reducing, and stomach is shrinking. The funny part is the stomach still has a ways to go before anyone will mistake it for flat. Taking pictures of yourself periodically will help you see the changes. I am grateful for that lesson from 75 HARD.
HEALTH HAVEN - JOURNEY OF FOOD (PART 3 OF 5)
The Great Migration, when millions of Black Americans moved from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West, profoundly changed Black foodways. This migration dramatically expanded the presence of African American culture in cities like Chicago, Detroit, New York, and later Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Western and southwestern cities became home to some of the first Black-owned restaurants that combined traditional Southern cooking with more diverse, innovative ingredients, contributing to the rise of fusion cuisines that combined Black Southern food with Mexican, Asian, and Indigenous influences.
During the Civil Rights Movement, food took on additional political and cultural significance. Meals were shared at organizing meetings and during protests, becoming symbols of solidarity. Women, such as Georgia Gilmore in Montgomery, Alabama, cooked and sold food to fundraise for the movement.
In addition, Black women chefs and food writers began gaining wider recognition, helping to preserve and elevate traditional Black cooking. Figures like Edna Lewis, a celebrated chef from Virginia, brought attention to the nuances and historical roots of Southern cuisine, reclaiming its heritage from being solely associated with poverty or enslavement.
However, economic hardships, racial discrimination, and a lack of access to healthy food options persisted. Many predominantly Black neighborhoods became "food deserts," where fresh produce and healthy options were scarce, leading to increased reliance on processed, high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. This contributed to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues in the Black community, disproportionately affecting Black women.
HERSTORIES: GEORGIA GILMORE (1920-1990)
Georgia Gilmore, a cook, midwife, and mother of six, played a pivotal role during the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. Known for her outspoken nature and exceptional cooking, she used her skills to support the movement by selling fried chicken sandwiches to protesters and organizing a network of Black women who sold dinners, cakes, and pies to fund the boycott. To protect their identities, she called the group the “Club From Nowhere,” ensuring the funds appeared anonymously. The name came from the answer provided when others questioned where the food and money came. Her answer was always, "It came from nowhere."
After testifying in support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists, Gilmore lost her job but was encouraged and funded by King to open a restaurant in her home. The restaurant became a hub for civil rights strategizing and fellowship, with her famous pork chops, fried chicken, and pound cake nourishing leaders and activists.
Georgia Gilmore was also the lead plaintiff in two landmark Supreme Court cases— Gilmore v. City of Montgomery(1959 and 1974) — that first case ended segregation of city parks and then the second ended the use of use the facilities, mostly for athletic events for white-only schools.
Gilmore's journey came full circle when she passed away in 1990 while cooking for the 25th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march. The meal she prepared was served to her mourners, honoring her legacy of resilience and activism through food. It is a blessing that she passed away doing what she loved.
Photo courtesy of the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
NUGGET OF THE WEEK
“The Black Power movement, and the rise of the Islamic religion and Muslim identity, promised a reclaiming of the black body, a regaining of control through diet.”
Until next time.....remember use your voice and document your stories because they matter!
