- Preserving Black Foodways

Catalog description

A multimedia exploration of Black foodways and traditions, structured around a blend of traditional seminar content and hands-on, community based cultural preservation. We will focus primarily on culinary expressions that are unique to the U.S. and shaped by its specific history, conditions and lived experiences, recognizing that the history and presentation of African American cuisine is as varied and boundless as the Diaspora itself. Students will participate in an ongoing effort to create a community archive through field trips and hands-on experience, conducting interviews with community members, visiting regional sites of relevance, and documenting cooking demonstrations. We will explore the many places Black foodways manifest in visual art, literature, autobiographies and historical documents. We will consider how the migration and displacement of Black people—both voluntary and forced—have influenced culinary traditions and food preparation methods. Through interviews, demonstrations, archival material, audio/video media, and oral histories students will pay special attention to cultural histories and customs that are revealed through food conversations. Students will examine how place impacts and influences traditional recipes by identifying unique ingredients based on the landscape, ingredients used out of practicality and availability and by exploring the stories behind substitutions based on personal preference. Through experiential learning students will practice basic methods of documentation and production techniques while collaboratively contributing to the preservation of these cultural practices.