Thanksgiving is a celebration of harvest, gratitude, and the bonds of friendship. The harvest part is obviously associated with the food that people used to eat during the colder months when it was harder to grow crops. Gratitude is well, a celebration of gratitude for the harvest and friendship is just what it says. Many historians believe that the first Thanksgiving took place in 1789 as an attempt by President George Washington to mend relationships with Native Americans after their violent clashes in the past few years.
While Thanksgiving has traditionally been a time to come together and celebrate the harvest with family and friends, its history and meaning can be complex for Black Americans. This article explores the unique traditions, historical context, and delicious food that define African Thanksgiving.
The Origin of Thanksgiving and Its Meaning for Black Americans
Experts say that the first documented celebration of a harvest festival dates back to the early 1500s, when European explorers and settlers first arrived on American soil. The first thing to understand is the origin of the holiday itself. This is something that Black Americans can definitely connect with since most African cultures have harvest festivals similar to Thanksgiving. The difference is that these harvest festivals are usually celebrated in July, which is the beginning of the rainy season in the African tropics.
The real reason why Black people don’t celebrate Thanksgiving is because they were never invited to the party. For the first 100 years, Thanksgiving was an event that was reserved for white people only. In fact, there were laws that prohibited Native Americans from even owning land (much less harvesting crops). Black people were also prohibited from owning land during this time period. Thanksgiving was a time reserved for celebrating the first harvest with family and friends. For Native Americans and White people, but not Black people.
This wouldn’t change until the 1920’s when a Black woman named Sarah Maud Young created the National Negro Thanksgiving Festival. Her purpose for this festival was to create a celebration for Black communities to come together and have a positive event to celebrate. It was a way to celebrate heritage and community while also standing up to the oppressive ideologies of the time.
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How Black Communities Celebrate Thanksgiving
Black people have always been an integral part of American culture. From the very beginning, Black people have found a way to incorporate their culture into mainstream society. Black people have long celebrated Thanksgiving as an opportunity to share their culture with their friends and family. This can mean a few different things.
First, you’ll see a lot of Black families and friends gather around a big Thanksgiving-style meal. This is usually a mix of traditional Thanksgiving food and Black culture. You’ll see the classic Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing paired with collard greens, yams, mac and cheese, and other traditional Black dishes. Another way Black people incorporate their culture into the Thanksgiving holiday is by using Thanksgiving as an opportunity to gather and educate the people in your life about the Black experience. This could be as simple as telling your white friends and family a little bit about the history of Black people in America and why we have a separate Thanksgiving holiday.
30 African American Thanksgiving Dishes No One Makes Anymore
Why Celebrate If You Are Black and Proud
The main reason why Black people have not traditionally celebrated Thanksgiving is because they have been excluded from the event since its inception. We were never invited to the party and didn’t have the opportunity to create or celebrate our own. The truth is that every community has their own set of traditions, holidays, and celebrations. These things exist because they are necessary and important to the group that they serve.
You don’t need to feel the need to cancel your Black Thanksgiving plans in order to celebrate Thanksgiving. Instead, you can use Thanksgiving as a way to celebrate your culture and history with friends and family. Let this be an opportunity to come together and celebrate who you are as a person and as a community.
Navigating Black Thanksgiving: A Guide for Non-Black Guests
For those new to Black Thanksgiving celebrations, here are some tips to ensure a respectful and enjoyable experience:
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- DO NOT arrive empty handed. Store bought isn’t great, but if you aren’t sure how Black holiday food works, it’s better than getting the church lady look when you bring candied parsnips over.
- The answer is ALWAYS sweet potatoes.
- As with our close cousin “Southern White Thanksgiving,” we don’t call cornbread “stuffing,” stuffing….we call it “dressing.” Calling it “stuffing,” is a dead giveaway you don’t know the quality of what you brought over.
- Black people hate it when you’re not a cheerful eater, so load up your plate. Strategy: if you’re used to white food just try to load up on stuff you’ll actually eat and tuck in the obligatory candied yams and collard greens where necessary. Save room for dessert.
- DO NOT be that “other” that goes “Well it’s not just Black people that eat/do….” What the hell is that supposed to really mean???
- At all costs, do not put your fork on anyone else’s plate or take food off a plate, especially that of a larger person like myself. It will be your last Thanksgiving on earth if you do.
- Leave all white soul food at home including green or red or pink gelatin based “salads,” casseroles and “hot dish,” see rule 1. We don’t like food that twerks, bubbles long after cooking or sounds like it cannot be cis-identified.
- We love Non-Black guests. So be prepared for the “Naw we don’t do handshakes,” and deep breast hugs.
- Even if you are completely secular pepper your speech with religious statements or sayings just to humor Big Mama and dem.
- Bring extra foil…trust me.
- Don’t ask questions about Shanda’s boyfriend.
- White people get to sit in the front room on the plastic covered furniture. Take this as a badge of honor.
- Dinner will not start on time.
- It’s not dinner time until the speckled roasting pan and Hamilton Beach turkey cutter arrive.
- Don’t bring generic soda. Faygo, Nehi, RC, Vernors are all fine choices for soda for Black Thanksgiving. Get ready for stories about peanuts and cola.
- Have fun! We all family! When you come in the house, speak!!!!
A Culinary Journey: African Thanksgiving Dishes
With a diaspora that touches every corner of the globe, there is both overlap and incredible diversity among pan-African cuisines. Some culinary traditions have been painstakingly passed down from generation to generation, while others have been absorbed through migration, marriage and countless other means and life circumstances.
Here are some dishes to consider for your African-themed Thanksgiving:
- Nigerian Jollof Rice: Is it even a feast without this evergreen Thanksgiving dish? Asides the aesthetic appeal a large pan of rice on your feasting table gives, it pairs excellently well with roasted turkey. Jollof rice is a staple in many parts of Africa and a really aromatic dish too.
- Thieboudienne (Senegalese Jollof): Pronounced as che-boo-jen, this Senegalese national dish is a real banger. It is unique in its flavour and will awaken the taste buds of your guests.Several things make the Senegalese jollof rice stand out. Assorted vegetables being cooked in the rich pepper sauce is one. Another is the stuffing of the fish with blended herbs and spices before frying.
- Fried Rice (Nigerian Style): In Nigeria, fried rice is best made with long-grain parboiled rice, it is cooked in a rich broth whilst the veggies are seasoned and sauteed separately. The rice, veggies, and any protein used for garnishing are then combined to make this absolutely beautiful pot of goodness!
- Ghanaian Light Soup: Considering the many things that go into this rich pot of soup, I call it the senior to pepper soup.You can have the Ghanaian light soup as a starter or pair it with a swallow for a main meal option. Although it is traditionally made with beef, tripe, or hard chicken, you can introduce any other preferred protein.
- Peppered Cow Skin: Cow skin cooked and then fried in the richness of a pepper sauce is a dish you should add to the list. The takeaway for you here is the peppered part, which means you can switch out cow skin for turkey bites, shrimp, chicken breast cuts, etc. Garnish with some sliced onion, spring onions, sweet bell peppers, etc.
- Ghanaian Bofrot/Puff-Puff: These easy delicious balls are soft, mildly sweet, and irresistible, let me warn you, when they start with it, it is hard to stop eating them!
- Somalia Suugo Suqaar: Suugo Suqaar is a delicious pasta dish from Somalia. It is a dish that has Italian roots, boiled pasta served with a ground beef tomato sauce seasoned with the star ingredient called xawaash. It is delicious and will pair well with your roasted turkey too.
- Ethiopian Doro Wat: Ethiopian Doro Wat is a savoury and spicy fried onion stew made with chicken and stewed eggs, popularly eaten with injera flatbread.
- Tilapia Fish Pepper Soup: Pepper soup is a Nigerian light soup enriched with peppers, herbs, and spices that can be made using different types of protein; chicken, beef, goat meat, fish, etc. Serve a hot bowl of this fish pepper with sweet ball bread or pretzel buns.
- Egusi (Melon Soup) & Fufu: Fufu is a starchy-pounded meal made with ground corn.
Soul Food Thanksgiving Recipes
Classic Soul Food dishes with a twist always make the cut. Here are some ideas for your holiday dinner table:
- Cajun Turkey Wings
- Southern Glazed Ham
- Baked Mac & Cheese
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Cornbread
- Sweet Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread Dressing
- Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey
- Green Beans and Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Peach Cobbler
- Pound Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Sweet Potato Pie
Baked mac & cheese is a must in any Black folks Thanksgiving spread and being the person to make it is an honor of the highest order. My classic Soul Food mac and cheese recipe is perfect for the holidays. Cornbread dressing comes from the ingenuity and our enslaved ancestors in the American South. Now, mashed potatoes aren't technically Soul Food, but as my Grandma would say, it is the way I make it! It's THICK and super flavorful and only takes a few minutes to make.
Celebrating with L.A.-Based Cooks
These L.A.-based cooks opened their homes and one restaurant to us, introducing us to family and friends and sharing the dishes that define their Thanksgiving celebrations year after year. Some of these recipes may feel familiar, but each features its own sprawling influences.
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- Rashida Holmes: Chef and owner of Bridgetown Roti, serves her popular macaroni and cheese pie at her parents’ home in Pasadena.
- Kiano Moju: Cookbook author, makes her Swahili lamb biriyani, sukuma wiki (sauteed collard greens) and samosas with her aunt Juliet Solitei.
- John Cleveland: Chef and co-owner of Post & Beam, serves his holiday family cookie, mixed with duck fat and homemade mincemeat.
- Nia Lee: Culinary artist and Black food futurist, takes a moment to enjoy her carrot cake at a friendsgiving dinner she hosted.
Macaroni and Cheese Pie by Rashida Holmes
Holmes’ macaroni pie contains five cheeses: the usual cheddar and Jack mix, with pepper jack cheese for heat, Gouda for creaminess and Parmesan for saltiness. The noodles are seasoned in a butter mixture with cumin, fresh garlic, and onion and curry powders, but Holmes highlights fresh thyme as the most important herb.
Swahili-Inspired Thanksgiving by Kiano Moju
A distinguishing factor between Indian biriyani and what Moju calls Swahili-style biriyani, common in both Kenya and Tanzania, is the layering effect. The lamb simmers in a rich tomato sauce that’s scented with garlic, ginger and coriander, while the rice cooks in saffron water in a separate pot. When the dish is ready to serve, the rice is layered at the bottom of the platter and the lamb is spooned into the center with fried shallots and sliced chiles scattered on top.
Duck-Fat Holiday Cookies by John Cleveland
Biting into the cookie presents a delicious puzzle to unpack. It’s soft, slightly crumbly, rich and comforting yet surprisingly light, with warm bursts of cinnamon and clove cutting through. “It gives you chocolate chip cookie vibes because of how the mincemeat folds into the cookie,” Cleveland said. “But the cookie itself is like a super soft sugar cookie. It’s unassuming - you just wouldn’t think you’d get that much flavor from a cookie.”
Marsha P. Johnson Inspired Carrot Cake by Nia Lee
“I’m really inspired by Marsha’s life and legacy because there was such a levity and lightness to how she moved through this world, and how, despite every hurdle of socioeconomics, racism, homophobia, et cetera, she was able to live and move audaciously. When I think of warmth and creativity and softness, I think of Marsha, and that’s also the energy I want to infuse into this cake,” Lee said.
