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Estaugh Ikat Black/Gray Indoor / Outdoor Area Rug Union Rustic Rug Size: Rectangle 8′ x 11′
GULLAH CULTURE IN AMERICA (PAPERBACK)
GULLAH CULTURE IN AMERICA (PAPERBACK)
Set of 4 Natalya Ikat Stripe Placemats Gray – Ballard Designs
Set of 4 Natalya Ikat Stripe Placemats Gray – Ballard Designs
G IS FOR GULLAH
G IS FOR GULLAH
Safavieh Noely Coastal Writing Desk
Safavieh Noely Coastal Writing Desk
Lenox Watercolor Horizons Microwave Safe Blue 12-Pc. Dinnerware Set, Service for 4, Created for Macy’s
Lenox Watercolor Horizons Microwave Safe Blue 12-Pc. Dinnerware Set, Service for 4, Created for Macy’s
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35″” x 35″” Juneteenth by Synthia Saint James Canvas Art Print – Masterpiece Art Gallery
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MASTER PIECE LESSONS GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 35X35
RING SHOUT GULLAH ISLANDS – UNFRAMED PRINT ON CANVAS WORLD MENAGERIE
RING SHOUT GULLAH ISLANDS – UNFRAMED PRINT ON CANVAS WORLD MENAGERIE
GULLAH CUISINE: BY LAND AND BY SEA
GULLAH CUISINE: BY LAND AND BY SEA
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Lowcountry Rice Culture Note Cards
Woven Wicker Rattan Wall Decor, Round Seagrass Boho Kitchen Decor, Minimalist Rattan Chargers & Placemats for Dining Table & Wall Art, Rattan Wall Decorative Basket
Woven Wicker Rattan Wall Decor, Round Seagrass Boho Kitchen Decor, Minimalist Rattan Chargers & Placemats for Dining Table & Wall Art, Rattan Wall Decorative Basket
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE IN THE GEORGIA LOWCOUNTRY: THE ATLANTIC WORLD AND THE GULLAH GEECHEE (RACE IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1700–1900 SER.)
AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE IN THE GEORGIA LOWCOUNTRY: THE ATLANTIC WORLD AND THE GULLAH GEECHEE (RACE IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD, 1700–1900 SER.)
‘Southern Imagery’ Notecards by Jonathan Green
‘Southern Imagery’ Notecards by Jonathan Green
GULLAH NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (HARDCOVER)
GULLAH NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (HARDCOVER)
Handmade Gullah Sweetgrass Drink Coasters . Traditional Hand Crafted Folk Art . Natural Woven Home Decor . Made in the USA
Handmade Gullah Sweetgrass Drink Coasters . Traditional Hand Crafted Folk Art . Natural Woven Home Decor . Made in the USA
TALKING TO THE DEAD : RELIGION, MUSIC, AND LIVED MEMORY AMONG GULLAH/GEECHEE WOMEN
TALKING TO THE DEAD : RELIGION, MUSIC, AND LIVED MEMORY AMONG GULLAH/GEECHEE WOMEN
Suzanne Kasler Greek Key Sham – Ballard Designs
Suzanne Kasler Greek Key Sham – Ballard Designs
Stratton Home Reddish Brown Tulum Woven Lantern Stand
Stratton Home Reddish Brown Tulum Woven Lantern Stand
GULLAH DAYS: HILTON HEAD ISLANDERS BEFORE THE BRIDGE 1861-1956
GULLAH DAYS: HILTON HEAD ISLANDERS BEFORE THE BRIDGE 1861-1956
Quilted Patchwork Cotton Throw Blanket – Indigo Blue Shibori Dye Indian Decorative Super Soft & Warm Blanket for Sofa and Couch 50 x 60 Inches
Quilted Patchwork Cotton Throw Blanket – Indigo Blue Shibori Dye Indian Decorative Super Soft & Warm Blanket for Sofa and Couch 50 x 60 Inches
Whitewash Wood Draped Bead 4 Light Chandelier by World Market
Whitewash Wood Draped Bead 4 Light Chandelier by World Market
Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island
Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island
GULLAH HOME COOKING THE DAUFUSKIE WAY: SMOKIN’ JOE BUTTER BEANS, OL’ ‘FUSKIE FRIED CRAB RICE, STICKY-BUSH BLACKBERRY DUMPLING, AND OTHER SEA ISLAND FAVORITES (PAPERBACK)
GULLAH HOME COOKING THE DAUFUSKIE WAY: SMOKIN’ JOE BUTTER BEANS, OL’ ‘FUSKIE FRIED CRAB RICE, STICKY-BUSH BLACKBERRY DUMPLING, AND OTHER SEA ISLAND FAVORITES (PAPERBACK)
GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE IN THE GOLDEN ISLES (PAPERBACK)
GULLAH GEECHEE HERITAGE IN THE GOLDEN ISLES (PAPERBACK)
Mud Pie Rattan Serving Utensils
Mud Pie Rattan Serving Utensils
Gullah Spirituals – by Eric Sean Crawford (Paperback)
Gullah Spirituals – by Eric Sean Crawford (Paperback)
‘Inspirations’ Sheer Scarf by Jonathan Green
‘Inspirations’ Sheer Scarf by Jonathan Green
Arthur Court Designs Sea Horse Twisted Seagrass Placemats – set of 4
Arthur Court Designs Sea Horse Twisted Seagrass Placemats – set of 4
GULLAH IMAGES: THE ART OF JONATHAN GREEN
GULLAH IMAGES: THE ART OF JONATHAN GREEN
Doric Upholstered Wingback Arm Chair Red Barrel Studio Body Fabric: Skylar Antique Blue
Doric Upholstered Wingback Arm Chair Red Barrel Studio Body Fabric: Skylar Antique Blue
carol&frank Josie Indigo Pillow
carol&frank Josie Indigo Pillow
35″ X 35″ GULLAH GEECHEE CONJURE WOMAN BY SYNTHIA SAINT JAMES CANVAS ART PRINT – MASTERPIECE ART GALLERY
35″ X 35″ GULLAH GEECHEE CONJURE WOMAN BY SYNTHIA SAINT JAMES CANVAS ART PRINT – MASTERPIECE ART GALLERY
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BLACK BORDER : GULLAH STORIES OF THE CAROLINA COAST
Finnhomy Sideboard Buffet Cabinet, Kitchen Storage Cabinet with Rattan Decorated Doors
Finnhomy Sideboard Buffet Cabinet, Kitchen Storage Cabinet with Rattan Decorated Doors
THE JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE: MAKING GULLAH: A HISTORY OF SAPELO ISLANDERS, RACE, AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION (PAPERBACK)
THE JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE: MAKING GULLAH: A HISTORY OF SAPELO ISLANDERS, RACE, AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION (PAPERBACK)
Willow Row Multi Colored Ceramic Coastal Decorative Jar – Set of 2
Willow Row Multi Colored Ceramic Coastal Decorative Jar – Set of 2
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MAMA DOONK’S GULLAH RECIPES (PAPERBACK)
Set of 4 Woven Striped Placemats – Frontgate
Set of 4 Woven Striped Placemats – Frontgate
ColorBird Stripe Tassel Tablecloth Cotton Linen Dust-Proof Table Cover for Kitchen Dinning Tabletop Decoration (Rectangle/Oblong, 55 x 120Inch, Blue)
ColorBird Stripe Tassel Tablecloth Cotton Linen Dust-Proof Table Cover for Kitchen Dinning Tabletop Decoration (Rectangle/Oblong, 55 x 120Inch, Blue)
Kouboo 1110141 Manhattan 2-Tier Console, Natural Rattan End Table, Brown
Kouboo 1110141 Manhattan 2-Tier Console, Natural Rattan End Table, Brown
MASTER PIECE CHASING SENSE GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 35X35
MASTER PIECE CHASING SENSE GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 35X35
MASTER PIECE JOOK JOINT GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 35X35
MASTER PIECE JOOK JOINT GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 35X35
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MASTER PIECE GATHERING GULLAH ISLANDS WALL ART, 30X40
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GROWING UP GULLAH IN THE LOWCOUNTRY (PAPERBACK)
Goddesses by Synthia SAINT JAMES Canvas Wall Art 3 Piece
Goddesses by Synthia SAINT JAMES Canvas Wall Art 3 Piece
Yaheetech Set of 2 Weave Arm Chair Mid-Century Metal Dining Chair Y-Shaped Backrest Hemp Seat, Black
Yaheetech Set of 2 Weave Arm Chair Mid-Century Metal Dining Chair Y-Shaped Backrest Hemp Seat, Black
‘Inspirations’ Note Cards by Jonathan Green
‘Inspirations’ Note Cards by Jonathan Green
Sweetgrass Kite Earring
Sweetgrass Kite Earring
Drew Rose Designs Ceramic Woven Trim Planter
Drew Rose Designs Ceramic Woven Trim Planter
Gullah Spirit: The Art of Jonathan Green
Gullah Spirit: The Art of Jonathan Green
Woven Bamboo Placemats, Set of 4 By Anthropologie in Blue Size SET OF 4
Woven Bamboo Placemats, Set of 4 By Anthropologie in Blue Size SET OF 4
MY KIND OF NET ART PRINT BY GULLAH LIVING SERIES BY SAMANTHA CLAAR – X-LARGE
MY KIND OF NET ART PRINT BY GULLAH LIVING SERIES BY SAMANTHA CLAAR – X-LARGE
Asheville’s Appalachian Food Culture
Family Travel Guide to Asheville
Celebrating Asheville’s Appalachian Folklife and Unique Culture
Black Heritage Travel in the Outer Banks
Junteenth Family Travels
Asheville’s Appalachian Food Culture
Family Travel Guide to Asheville
Celebrating Asheville’s Appalachian Folklife and Unique Culture
Black Heritage Travel in the Outer Banks
Junteenth Family Travels
Asheville’s Appalachian Food Culture
Family Travel Guide to Asheville
Celebrating Asheville’s Appalachian Folklife and Unique Culture
Black Heritage Travel in the Outer Banks
Junteenth Family Travels

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What it Means to Eat “Affrilachian” or Black and Appalachian

What it Means to Eat “Affrilachian” or Black and Appalachian - A group of people standing in front of a building - Osage
What it Means to Eat “Affrilachian” or Black and Appalachian

What does it mean to eat black in Appalachia? That’s a big question. The region known as Appalachia involves 13 states and countless unincorporated communities. Appalachia spans throughout what we would consider northern states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland and even parts of Canada. ‘Big’ cities like Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), and Chattanooga are within the Appalachian region, though most people from those cities would simply consider themselves southern without knowledge of or acknowledgement of being Appalachian. 

Frank X Walker coined the term Affrilachian, and it has gained widespread acceptance by the African American sons and daughters of the Appalachian TrailFantasia Barrino and Rhiannon Giddens, and scholar bell hooks along with poet-scholar (and foodie) Nikki Giovanni are Appalachian. Martin Luther King, Jr. was Appalachian, and many of the places he preached and marched were in the region. 

It is entirely possible to be both Appalachian and Southern, because not all black Appalachians are “hill” or “mountain” folk. Affrilachians are not a monolithic people. Affrilachians were important to every social movement involving African Americans in the nation’s history, including the abolitionist movement and the Civil Rights movement. Affrilachians have influenced popular culture with contributions to literature, music, and art. 

Black Appalachians were a part of their own migration movement similar to The Great Migration, in that they moved from rural areas to cities and they also moved northerly. Appalachia is a diaspora. Enslavement and the Underground Railroad co-existed throughout Appalachia. 

So, to eat black in Appalachia will mean different things to different people depending on where they were raised, their cultural influences, and their unique heritage as in their ancestors. For example, Affrilachians in the mountain regions of West Virginia and in rural areas of Kentucky will most likely have been exposed to foods that were hunted and vegetables that are common to the land and soil. 

Here are a few basic characteristics of Affrilachian foodways:

  • Pickling, canning, and fermenting foods for the sake of provision all year round. Sauerkraut and pickled green beans are often found in Appalachian cuisine. Drying beans and some vegetables is also common.
  • Molasses and sorghum are important to baking, and sweetening foods. Meat glazes are made with molasses in some regions.
  • Meats are often purchased at slaughterhouses or butcher shops, and wild game like rabbit, squirrel, venison, boar, and goose are served by some at daily and celebratory meals. 
  • In some regions, kale is as important as collard greens and often mixed together. Cabbage, green beans, sweet potatoes and white potatoes are staples. Okra is a staple depending on the region and culinary influence. Beans are an important part of Affrilachian cuisine. There are the beans you know about like black-eyed peas and pinto beans, but there are others like half-runners, greasy beans, and peanut beans that grow on the side of mountains. 
  • And some foods are bourbon-infused such as bourbon in bread pudding, cakes, and even vegetables. 

Malinda Russell is perhaps the most influential of black cooks and recipe writers. She was born in Tennessee, trained in Virginia, and her dishes were common for Appalachia. Her Washington Cake is indicative of the spicy, citrusy desserts often baked in Appalachia. Pies and fried pies made from fresh berries, mashed squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes are favorites. Chef and cookbook author Rufus Estes was also from Appalachia, and his ‘fried’ chicken is not prepared as we know it, it was prepared as pan-fried in butter, which was not uncommon in certain Appalachian regions. 

Common to most black southern traditions, an Appalachian meal will include refrigerator rolls and cornbread. Sweet potato pie is a dessert staple as is bread pudding. Pies and cobblers made from berries and fruit indigenous to the region are also common. 

There remains uncharted territory in the study of eating black and Appalachian. The best place to start is to learn more about the people and their history. To read about the black, Native American, immigrant, and social influences of Appalachia, Black in Appalachia is an excellent resource as is 100 Days in Appalachia

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Robin Caldwell

Robin Caldwell is the blogger behind freshandfriedhard.com and a public historian and researcher focusing on Black culinary traditions and foodways.

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