Projects

The Black Matriarch and Black Foodways

by Jodi Robinson

Introduction Before examining specific women and food justice movements of the 20th century, it is important to understand the broader history of Black women and foodways in the United States. ... Continued

The Mammy Stereotype and Aunt Jemima

by Jodi Robinson

Introduction Notions about the Black matriarch and domesticity drive the creation of the mammy stereotype. Enslaved Black women were heavily abused and labored for hours in hot, detached plantation kitchens.1... Continued

Black Women & The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast Program (1969 – 1980)

by Jodi Robinson

Introduction Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party (BPP) in 1966 in Oakland, California. Developed in response to the prevalence of police brutality in their communities, the... Continued

Fannie Lou Hamer and the Freedom Farm Cooperative (1967 – 1976)

by Jodi Robinson

Introduction Since the arrival of the first slave ship in 1619, Black people have been deeply connected to American land and agriculture. The African knowledge and culture of enslaved people... Continued

Contemporary Black Food Justice and Female Food Activists

by Jodi Robinson

Introduction Food justice movements of the 20th century – and the women who spearheaded them – continue to have a large impact on other Black food justice initiatives. Even before... Continued

Exhibition Conclusion

by Jodi Robinson

Despite their lack of coverage in the secondary literature about food justice, Black women had essential roles in devising and operating 20th-century food justice movements. Not only should we work... Continued