Issues of Cultural Diversity and Diet

The African American experience is one that is quite different from other racial/ ethnic groups. The majority of the first African American came over, unwillingly, on ships from various African countries. They were brought to America by white, European settlers to be used as slaves in an order to plant and harvest their crops and make money for the white man. This racial group was treated as if they were property and not people. However, with the ending of the American Civil War, African Americans gained freedom, freedom that not all white American were quite ready to handle. After gaining their freedom came the need for education, jobs and suffrage rights. Now in America this racial group has come a long way, having elected its first African American present for two terms, yet still there are many issues that are very prevalent. This racial group has been fighting their way to equality since the birth of this nation. African Americans have experienced an array of conflict, violence, stereotypes, prejudice acts, and discrimination against them throughout their history in America.

Paula J. Johnson, a curator at the National Museum of American History, says that foods such as wasabi, Sriracha, and hummus would have been considered “foreign foods” 50 years ago, but today they are common, everyday staples for many people across America. Ramanathan briefly states before this that the only constant in American foods is global influence and then goes on to say that it’s not uncommon in modern times for people to eat, for example, Thai food for lunch and then Italian for dinner. She writes that America has people from all backgrounds, cultures, and countries and their influences are present everywhere, especially the food. In America today, there are so many influences on our foods that using the term ethnic to describe them makes it sound foreign when the food is something people eat every

All ethnic groups have their own language, food, and way of living. Some can even call their food, “soul food.” Soul food can be described as “food made with feeling and care,” but in America, soul food simply refers to African-American cuisine (A History of Soul Food). In Imamu Amiri Baraka’s essay, “Soul Food” he describes how shocked he was to read an article that stated how “African-Americans have no language and no characteristic food.” So he argued against that supposed fact. I too was shocked and am agreeing with Baraka’s argument. African-Americans have had soul food for hundreds of years, if anything that is all they have ever had. Since slaves had no control or choice in life, cooking became a way

African American history has influenced many changes in todays society. The united States has a racially diverse population that continuously evolves. From World war II until the 60’s, African American migrants were concentrated in urban areas and more than 6 million blacks left the South escaping segregation and Jim Crow laws. Today the United states includes a thriving black middle class which is an exceptionally accomplishment compared to the 60’s. I believe that racial policies have emerged in the twenty-first century but there is still improvement to be made for later success.

If the family still does not practice the culture, then they are not African. They take part in the culture which they grow up in: which is American.

Agriculture and food is also a unique aspect of African American culture. The cultivation and use of many agricultural products, such as yams, peanuts, rice, okra, grits, and cotton, can be traced to African and African American influences. African American foods reflect creative

There is no doubt that African Americans have a rich cultural background and history like the many different ethnic groups who settled in the New World, whose origins lie in another country. For this reason, America was known as the melting pot. However, the backgrounds of each of these cultures were not always understood or, in the case of African Americans, accepted among the New World society and culture. Americans were ignorant to the possibility of differences among groups of people until information and ideas started to emerge, particularly, the African retention theories. This sparked an interest in the field of African culture and retention in African Americans. However, the study of African American culture truly emerged as a result of increased awareness in America, specifically through the publication and findings of scholarly research and cultural events like the Harlem Renaissance where all ethnicities were able to see this rich historical culture of African Americans.

Soul food traditionally have been celebrated for years with African American families. It is traditionally a part of Sunday dinners, birthdays, church fellowships, and Holiday celebrations. It is also a big part of African American church fellowships and it is used to comfort families during in times of loss, such as, funeral

Culture is an ever-changing, ever-evolving entity. Culture is something that for many is taken for granted as they have always had that connection to their past. It is not easily definable but it is an essential part of every nation’s composition. American culture itself is a conglomeration of several different cultures that make up a unique and separate identity from each of the cultures it draws from. Everyone knows about American Southern culture whether their perceptions of it is accurate or not. Fewer know about African American culture in the south. Many people including some African Americans themselves are not aware of the aspects of African culture that were preserved and its influence on American culture as a whole. One major way in which this type of influence can be seen is in the culture of the Gullah people. YOUR INTRODUCTION DEFIENTLY GRABBED MY ATTENTION

African American people have had it rough for years. But over time, they have influenced us beyond belief. One of the main things they influenced was music. So I am here to explain to you how the African American culture has done just that!

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines “African American,” as an American who has African and especially black African ancestry. Being born in the United States and being American I have always been classified as African American, because my skin was dark, my hair was tightly coiled and because my parents were black. As a black child growing up here believed I was African American because my parent were African. I knew Africa from the Lion King and National Geography. I knew of the music because it played on a loop in our Georgia home, when I was trying to watch Disney or Nickelodeon. I knew of the food, because I was made to eat it instead of McDonalds. So to me, Africa and Africans where distant, it belonged in the world of fairytales.

Who are African Americans, and where did they originate from; as well as who brought them here. African Americans are the progeny of Africans that where brought to The United States against their will, and forced into slavery; to fulfill the labor needs in the North American colonies. Thusly, taking place during

Traditionally, the African American diet consisted of leafy green vegetables, fish, poultry, and beans. However, the cooking methods, such as deep frying, the heavy use of gravy, pork fat, and butter add a large amount fat and cholesterol to an otherwise heart-healthy diet. “Soul food” with its fried chicken, fried pork chops, and corn bread have become the traditional comfort food, and there is a large significant placed in the African-American culture on community and family gatherings centered around food. Historically, African-Americans lived a highly active lifestyle that compensated for a higher than average fat content in their diet. As modern trends swing toward a more sedentary lifestyle, the direct result is heart disease rising to be the leading cause of death among African-Americans (Cowling, 2006, p8).

Why do you think some foods are acceptable in some cultures and others are not? I believe it depends on the geography and history of the place. For example, in different parts of Asia some people ate dogs because they thought it would bring them luck. When I was in high school I had a friend named Soo, who was from South Korea, and I asked her if they still ate dog over there. Soo told me that no one ate dogs where she lived but some people still held on to that tradition in different parts of South Korea and China.

Eating food is essential for all of us, it keep us alive and also gives us enjoyment at the same time. Food can be defined as any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue. (ilearn) In ancient time, when people feel hungry, they eat. However, as human history keep developing and evolving, we have a higher standard on choosing food that we like to eat nowadays. In this paper, we are going to evaluate factors that are influencing our food habits and food culture. Those factors can be divided into two main categories, internal factors (individual preference and values) and external factors (geographical, religion, social, economic and political).