The 1900’s were times of rapid and drastic political and social changes. Industrialization and urbanization of the South decreased the availability of fresh produce with less family farms containing variety and more singular foods made to be processed and sold in large quantities (Shaff). With the shift towards major industry and continual recovery from phasing out slavery, the economy took a turn for the better. Some African-Americans were able to reap the benefits, creating a growing middle class. However, “among the black population, the number below the poverty line actually increased…33 per cent of all blacks were [living in poverty in 1972],” and twice as many blacks were unemployed as whites (“Black Americans, 1963-1973”). The emergence of a faster-paced lifestyle proved a detrimental combination with African-Americans struggling to make ends meet. All the while, some still wanted to hold onto pieces of their past. Some soul food practices overshadowed others. With a heavier focus on meat, deep-fat frying and heavy sweets, foods already considered to be higher in saturated fat, salt and carbohydrates were being abused. As a result, with unbalanced nutrition, a overall decrease in health occurred in the black demographic.
Evolution of the Demographic Over Time
At the turn of the century, African-Americans faced continuations of practiced segregation and an overall lack of rights. Church, as articulated and encouraged by Du Bois, acted as a social, political and religious hub. Besides religious services, meetings and social gatherings were held. Food was closely associated with many of these gatherings and congregations that supported and strengthened black communities at a time of oppression (Opie). Population sizes remained stable with slight increases to indicate the continued resilience from the end of slavery (US Census Bureau, 1920). Looking at populations helps to understand the perseverance and changes in the African American culture in the South, including the food.
1900-1910 Population Stability |
Black populations in the South held steady at the turn of the century with gradual increases. South Atlantic “Negro” population increased from 3.7 to 4.1 million people. The East South Central population increased from 2.5 to 2.7 million people. State-wise, to give a narrowed perspective, Alabama increased to 8.3 to nine hundred thousand. Similarly, Texas increased from 6.2 to 6.9 hundred thousand black people (US Bureau of the Census, 1920).
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The start of the first World War marked a brutal and neglectful time for blacks in the South. To Woodrow Wilson, racism and oppression seemed “obsolete” based on his actions, or lack there of. He did not recognize the presence of major issues in the South, such as events involved the Klu Klux Klan; he even showed The Birth of a Nation in the White House. Awful treatment and a poor economy were the perfect combination for people to look towards the North where new opportunities were emerging (Opie). 1920 to 1930 showed the most significant change in population in the South according to the US Census data (US Census Bureau, 1951).
1920s and the Great Migration |
The Great Migration was a mass exodus of African Americans out of the South and into the North. To give some perspective, here are some of the numbers that show how the South was impacted. “More than one-half of [Negros]…left the South in the 1920-1930 decade” to move into urban areas (Shaffer). Based on the 1950 US Census data, the urban population increased by about a million from 1930 to 1940, while the rural areas showed no significant increase. From 1920 to 1930, the South Atlantic urban population increased from 4.3 to 5.7 million, while the rural population increased from 9.6 to 10 million. The East South Central increased from 2 to 2.8 million in urban areas versus a 0.2 million increase from 6.9 to 7.1 million in rural areas. And finally, the West South Central urban area increased from 3 to 4.4 million people with 7.3 to 7.7 million people in rural areas (US Census Bureau, 1951). Note that this was the South, home to less industrial opportunities than the North at the time. More people overall still resided in rural areas.
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However, despite the Great Migration, “intense regional patriotism” would help preserve cultural and more specifically cuisine identities in the South for those who stayed (Shaffer). Historian Joe Gray Taylor pointed out that both lower class African Americans and "elite" southern European Americans embraced soul food traditions. As a result, compared to the North, he was amazed by "the diet of the New South, from the Civil War through World War II... [and] how little it changed," (Opie).
Urbanization and its negative effects
Overall, the combined shifts in population, shifts in job status, and shifts in lifestyle negatively impacted the health of many individuals in the South and beyond. People moved away from direct links to fresh produce and found themselves facing economic hardships. The nutrition of the food declined for many as a result. But, the identity of much of the food remained tied to its roots, preserving its identity. These struggles to adjust to the changing times are not unique to the twentieth century. In fact, they parallel struggles faced after Reconstruction, the time period immediately following the abolishment of slavery in 1863 with news reaching the deep South in 1865.
African American tenant famers didn't have great job stability and had to move often. As a result, they weren't able to grow gardens with sufficient nutrients necessary for their diet. Meals high in saturated fats and low in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates resulted. The more processed grains were introduced because the poorer southern population could acquire cheaper cornmeal and white flour with the introduction of mills. In general, problems like "high milk prices" and an overall "lack of quality and variety" of food for the poorer black southerners at the end of the 1800's served as major challenges to obtain balanced nutrition (Opie). This exact scenario reappeared in the next century.
African American tenant famers didn't have great job stability and had to move often. As a result, they weren't able to grow gardens with sufficient nutrients necessary for their diet. Meals high in saturated fats and low in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates resulted. The more processed grains were introduced because the poorer southern population could acquire cheaper cornmeal and white flour with the introduction of mills. In general, problems like "high milk prices" and an overall "lack of quality and variety" of food for the poorer black southerners at the end of the 1800's served as major challenges to obtain balanced nutrition (Opie). This exact scenario reappeared in the next century.