Juneteenth was recently declared a federal holiday in the United States, yet its significance is unsung. On January 1st, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring the freedom of all enslaved Africans within the rebellious states. The proclamation, however, did not initially free any enslaved Africans as the Confederacy was in rebellion. Enslaved Africans would not reap the full benefits of the proclamation until after June 19th, 1865. On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers marched into Galveston, Texas to declare the abolishment of slavery in Texas, the last state to free enslaved Africans.
Texas did not have that much experience with fighting in the Civil War as it had little to no Union soldiers present. As a result, many slaveholders fled to Texas seeking a haven to ensure the survival of slavery. Even when General Granger of the Union arrived in Texas declaring all enslaved Africans free, emancipation did not happen overnight as many slaveholders withheld information regarding the emancipation. However, in the end, slavery would be abolished. Juneteenth celebrates the end of chattel slavery in America and commemorates the generations of Black people who actively fought for their freedom prior to and during the Civil War.
Today, Black communities across the country continue to celebrate Juneteenth in a variety of ways with one prominent way being Soul Food. On a typical Soul Food menu you might find dishes such as greens, mac and cheese, fried chicken, black eyed peas and more. Many people may not be aware that modern-day Soul Food is highly symbolic of the enslaved Africans imposed meager diet. For example, greens used to be a dish of necessity. Enslaved Africans did not have access to much food at the time and were usually given scraps. In order to make do, they resorted to cooking things like weeds and other plants that were available to them. Making the greens taste good, however, was a challenge of its own. In a traditional greens recipe, they are braised with meat like ham hocks or turkey legs. The meat surely wasn’t prime cut but was seasoned and infused into the greens to make them taste good. Fast forward to today and people are still preparing their greens this way. This recipe is a hallmark within the Black community as it infuses culture with cuisine. While it may not have been ‘gourmet’ in its creation, Soul Food has always been cooked with love and soul, hence its name.
Natural Path Nutrition is proud to continue our partnership with the Silver Hearts organization in Urbana, IL. Natural Path Nutrition Inc. was in charge of the monthly food packaging and distribution for the month of June. Our mission this past June was to provide the Silverwood community with a food distribution experience that emphasized the cultural relevance of Soul Food and significance of acknowledging Black people’s continued fight for liberation. A few of the items on the monthly menu included mac and cheese, collard greens, black eyed peas and rice, and more. We are grateful to all of our community sponsors who participated in our goal of celebrating Juneteenth. We hope to keep this tradition alive for many more years to come! Let Juneteenth be a reminder to us all that the struggle for freedom, justice and equality is not yet won.
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