Eating While Poor in Washington, D. C.
Woman sitting on a record-sized watermelon, Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Here is another installment in our series Eating While Poor which takes us back to 1940s Washington, D.C.
Born in 1942, the Swedish anthropologist Ulf Hannerz did field work on soul in Washington, D.C. during the heyday of chocolate city radio and TV personality and civil rights activist Petey Green. At the time, blacks in Washington, D. C. and in cities further north started identifying the poor man’s food reminiscent of the rural south that they cooked for family and friends according to “race rather than region.” Green did a interest segment about race, class and watermelon that is classic. Watermelon is a plant indigenous to Africa and poor folks of all ethnicities have been eating it for centuries. Green's take is watermelon is one of the many soul food delights of the poor in the city because its inexpensive and delicious.
