Why did food play such an important role for black women after the Civil War?
Food has always played an important role in the lives of women (of all races) inasmuch as they are the primary food preparers (and in some cases providers). For black women after the Civil War food production and provision was critical to their survival as vendors, hawkers, and even as domestics. Ottalini: You found a disconnect between generations. Younger people didn’t realize that chicken was being used as a way to stereotype black people, or didn’t understand the negative impact. Why is it so hard for them to see this? Many young people have been led to believe that we live in a colorblind society. This is not so. Some post-Civil Rights parents wanted to “forget the past” as if the past has no bearing on the present or future. Getting too comfortable with present circumstances can lead to our children being blind-sided when they are confronted with race, class, gender and sexual discrimination. Ottalini: Talk about chicken as a vehicle to power for black women today, especially chu
