Doing It WRONG
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Denver public schools planned to honor MLK with lunch of fried chicken and collard greens. Whaaaaa????
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I hear MLK was partial to filet mignon. Get with it, Denver!
I don’t get it.
Seriously, I don’t get it, and I’d like to get it.
Can somebody explain to me what is so derogatory about fried chicken, collard greens, watermelon, et cetera? From what I understand, these foods are said to be popular with African-Americans from the South (although, apart from collard greens, they seem to be fairly popular with people of every ethnicity in every part of the country). But is there some racist connection I’m missing whereby eating fried chicken supposedly makes you stupid and collard greens make you lazy and watermelon makes you lust for the flower of white womanhood? What offensive insinuation is implied by connecting black people with soul food?
I mean, MLK was from the South. I’m pretty sure he ate his fair share of fried chicken. What would be a more appropriate MLK lunch? Clam chowder?
The only way I can see this as being offensive is if the Denver public schools were saying “The best way to honor the memory of Dr. King is to have a nice lunch. Yay, lunch. Now back to work, everyone.” I have a feeling, though, that the schools probably had plenty of academic material devoted to the occasion, stuff that covers the history of King’s life and work and considers the ongoing relevance of the struggle for civil rights. And, in addition to that, the lunch program tried to come up with something thematically related. That’s what I assume. If I’m wrong, correct me.
And again, if there really is something racist about connecting a famous African-American man to the food that was part of his cultural heritage, I’d like to know.
Well OK. They did it wrong.
That said, I invite anyone to feed me chicken and greens on any day of the year. Contact me c/o OW’s comments section.
I actually don’t see nothing wrong with preparing soul food to celebrate one of our great African-American leaders. Fried chicken, collard greens, black eye peas, corn on the cob, fried catfish or snapper, potato salad, corn bread, candy yams, smothered chicken, pig feet, red beans and rice, neck bones, fried okra, banana pudding, peach cobbler, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, bread pudding, and, and…….wait what am I talking about?
Oh yea they are all great soul food dishes that are custom in the South and something MLK would have been proud to have served at a dinner in his name.
We shouldn’t feel ashame of the dishes we grew up with just because some racist people like to protray those things in a bad light.
Let’s take back our soul food cuisine and shine a light on it. That’s the only way we will get rid of the negative attitude around it.
Oops I meant “portray”.
Fine, but I draw the line at neck bones.
me too. And pig’s feet.
You guys know nothing about good food. lol
C’mon down Quaker. Tuesday is fried chicken (plus 3 sides) day at the Avalon.
http://www.avalondiner.com/RiverOaksbp.htmL
Is a watermelon joke too obvious?
Felix that’s a fair question because I believe you really don’t know. Mostly in the South the stereotype was that the Black person stole the fried chicken and would sit in the watermelon patch and eat it. Usually picture with the African American with Big “greasy” red lips. The chicken in the South used to be called “coon” chicken. The imagery associated with African Americans eating fried chicken and eating watermelon was akin to that of the “stepin fetchit” an uncouth, unsophisticated, bafoon who has to steal chicken and sneak away and eat it in the watermelon patch. The stereotype must still have relevance in the racist community because the Teapartiers used the images in their signs and posters.
Additionally, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created as a day to reflect on the Civil Rights activist’s life and contributions to America. Time to read and reflect on his speeches, his accomplishments and the accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement.
I hope this sheds a bit of light as to why the serving of chicken and collard greens would be offensive. That is not the legacy that I would want to leave my child with when discussing the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
That is an excellent point, CJ. Everything you list is damn fine eating. My Kentuck daddy makes a mean fried chicken and cornbread. But he prefers mustard greens to collard.
If I may make a suggestion: Since all of this is wholly American fair, why not serve it on President’s Day?
Hick, that looks amazing! If my travels take me to the Houston area, I’m there!
Connie, thanks for the backstory. I would not have come up with that on my own. Though I believe you, it still seems like quite a tenuous tangent to me: the racist idea that black people are thieves — hungry thieves steal food — fried chicken is yummy — black people like to steal fried chicken — ergo, if fried chicken is mentioned in context with a black person, it’s an implication that he or she stole it.
Do I have that right? And is it essentially the same deal with watermelon?
Yes, I know it still has resonance — I saw the postcard of a watermelon patch on the White House lawn, and recognized it as a racist trope. It still doesn’t make sense to me, though. Now, a picture of Obama in witch doctor gear with a bone through his nose — that’s unmistakable. That’s making a direct insinuation about black people’s supposedly primitive intellect, and it’s prima facie offensive.
But watermelons? Fried chicken?
These things, seems to me, are considered “racist” simply because they’ve always been considered “racist”. Kind of like how stop signs are octagonal. Why? Cuz they’ve always been that way. A picture of a watermelon patch on the White House lawn, as I see it, isn’t making a conscious statement about Obama; it’s just an attempt to push a button to get people upset, without having any idea what the button is about. “Hey, you know what would really piss off the liberals? Watermelons! Huh huh huh.” No further thought necessary.
I’m with cj: pass the chicken this way.
I eat this stuff on President Day too, but of course I eat it all the time now also.
I will say as Connie mention above the image of fried chicken in contrast with Blacks do have an negative stereotype, but it also has a huge positive image that should be shared more with non-Blacks for that it over shadows the negative image.
When I think of fried chicken, greens, biscuits,etc it reminds me of Sunday dinners growing up, and eating after church at my aunts or grandmother house(when she was alive)and my family coming together around the table.
Speaking for myself these dishes are comfort foods that should be cherish not shunned.
I think MLK would be proud to see traditional Southern cuisine being shared than frowned upon.
Ok Felix. Maybe another generation has to embrace the chicken concept. It’s kinda like the discussions I have with my African American husband regarding sexism. Sometimes he doesn’t get why woman may feel offended with the statement “tap that ass” in public. And how sometime a mom doesn’t want a grown man commenting on “how beautiful and um, sexy” their 17 year old daughter is. The bottom line for me is that “The African American Community” (not all but most) find the stereotype image of relating fried chicken and watermelon to black people particularly an icon as Dr. king, as to be offensive. Just like the Native American community is offended by Cleveland’s baseball team’s logo of “Wahoo”. Some Italian Americans are offended by the reference of the “mafia” when referring to Italians. The Irish, would be offended if Their beloved “St. Patrick”, or Francis Bacon, or Edmund Burke, pictured with empty bottles and bottles of Jack Daniel. It’s a stereotype that has not yet died. And, for a teaching moment we have to be sensitive to all the images associated with the lesson. I appreciate your civil discourse and honesty Felix, and we’re still cool! And, by all means enjoy your fried chicken and collard greens, but I do hope that you play some of Dr. King’s speeches while chowing down………It’s all about love……
Connie, I agree with you about the bottom line. Respect is important, and if someone’s offended by something I usually try to be sensitive about it. (Usually. People who live in glass houses and get offended by stone-throwers tend to make me snicker.) Intent matters, I think; racist tropes can arise unintentionally (people honestly don’t know something’s offensive) or deliberately (people are being rude on purpose) or satirically (people are making fun of racist attitudes), so it’s important to consider the context — and not to jump too hastily to conclusions. A light touch is often best. I’m partially of Irish and Native American descent, and when I encounter racist stereotypes involving my ancestors (or anyone else’s, really), I usually go: “You know, I don’t know if you realize this, but…” rather than: “How dare you! Racist pig!” Every moment is a teachable moment if we let it be.
I’m a teacher, and every year around this time I require my students to write a proposal for an action they’ll perform to “create the change they want to see” in the world, then take the action, and then follow up with a report on the experience — all inspired by Dr. King’s example of nonviolent activism. For my part, I’ll be marching downtown with members of the local Baptist church, whose pastor, Rev. James Coffee, marched with King in Selma; I’ll donate platelets at my local blood bank; and I’ll give what I can afford, which unfortunately isn’t much, to relief efforts in Haiti. I encourage everyone who reads this to do something on Monday to work for justice, peace and brotherly/sisterly love. As stirring as Dr. King’s speeches were, he was a man of action. So please, y’all — get out of your chairs and do something.