Speaking of the main character in James Weldons Johnson’s novel The Autobiography of An Ex-colored Man, a student wrote in her course blog, “his interactions with food reflect his internal monologue regarding his place at the table and beyond.” Her comments prompted me to say, the US caste system in the early 20th century, and to a lesser extinct today, impacts one’s food access, quality, preparation, and the conditions of restaurants where people eat food. And the system does not care about the complexion, education, or net worth of its subordinates when it decides who it restricts from the eateries of its favored group.
