The Black Matriarch and Black Foodways

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. 

Images

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Analysis

Enslaved Black Women and American Foodways 

There was a gendering of Black food cultivation and production that stemmed from cultural practices in pre-enslaved West African communities. On the Rice Coast, the assignment of tasks related to rice cultivation was clearly defined by gender: men would clear the fields, and women would select seeds and plant them. Furthermore, learning how to properly cultivate and cook rice was a rite of passage for women, as only then were they eligible to marry.

Women from the Rice Coast were intentionally captured and enslaved because of their extensive knowledge of rice cultivation. In slave markets, Black women were valued solely on their ability to “grow, pound, and process rice,” and fertility. 

Similarly, some enslaved women were responsible for caring for the livestock on plantations. Many West African cultures deeply engaged with the agricultural process, including interacting with the guinea fowl and other birds. Enslaved women brought these practices and knowledge to the New World, and it was this knowledge that kept plantation geese, hens, turkey, and chickens alive.

The labor and knowledge of Black women were quickly commodified by white enslavers. Without Black women’s understanding of rice, poultry, and other crops and foods, many American foodways that we know today may not even exist. 

Black Motherhood and Racial Uplift

There was a prevalent belief that the Black woman was responsible for “racial uplift” and social elevation. Various HBCUs were established in order to produce female graduates who could be positive influences on the Black community; Organizations such as the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) worked to promote “responsible motherhood” and “community respectability.”

The promotion of social responsibility is also present within the family and domestic sphere with the idea of the “Black matriarch,” a term to describe families led by Black women. This notion has roots in slavery, as enslaved Black women were responsible for taking care of the men and children surrounding them. This labor was necessary for community survival.

The Black woman’s familial responsibility continued into the 20th century, particularly concerning the preparation and consumption of food within the family. Psyche Williams-Forson argues that Black mothers, as the main cooks, were responsible for familial foodways and ensuring that her family received a complete, nutritious, and “acceptable” meal.

Despite a large amount of familial responsibility the Black woman held, labeling this gender role as “the Black matriarch” — an idea with roots in slavery — is a harmful misconception. Angela Davis argues that when one is called a matriarch, it implies that they hold power. Particularly in the context of slavery, families were entirely controlled by the enslaver, and the slaveholding class did not recognize Black women as human. Black women were stripped of their personal autonomy, the right to motherhood, and, thus, their power. To designate Black women as matriarchs is a misrepresentation that fails to acknowledge the systems of oppression working against them.

Conclusion 

Throughout this exhibition, it is important to keep these themes in mind. Black women have a long history of being exploited and having their labor (specifically food/kitchen-related labor) be commodified. Additionally, while Black women had immense responsibility in the domestic sphere, this can be acknowledged without resorting to labeling them as a Black matriarch or other harmful stereotypes. 

In that vein, one of the most notable stereotypes of Black women that is essential to the contextualization of this exhibition is the mammy, explored in-depth in the next section.