[Ishmel]

Why are blacks associated with liking watermelon and fried chicken? I think a lot of other races enjoy the same type of food, such as Indians. I would like to know how the association got started.

User Detail :  

Name : Ishmel, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : Indian, Religion : Hindu, Age : 41, City : krymeishu, State : na Country : India, Occupation : teacher, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Amber31552]

As you may know, blacks are one group in America that has not been blessed with great wealth throughout our country's history. Many blacks were not allowed access to finer meats such as lamb, beef or seafood. Chicken was plentiful, cheap and could be used in a variety of dishes. Same goes for watermelon: finer fruits (such as citrus) were expensive and didn't really give you the 'bang for your buck' that cash-strapped black families needed. Watermelon was a large fruit that could feed the whole family on a little money. Because of this, whites got the notion that blacks ate watermelon and chicken because we just couldn't get enough of it, when in fact we ate those foods because of mostly economic reasons - not because we were 'genetically predisposed' to chicken and watermelon. That is just an ugly stereotype.

User Detail :  

Name : Amber31552, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 23, City : Norfolk, State : VA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Stephanie]

This is a stereotype created in the United States around the Jim Crow era. I have listed a link that should tell you a little more about it. This is a misconception and a falsehood. See www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/picaninny/

User Detail :  

Name : Stephanie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 29, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Technical Support Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Paul S.]

This is the stupidest stereotype imaginable. The reason is simple. Most Black people came up from the south when Henry Ford started paying any man, be he Black or White, $5 per day. Southerners generally eat more fried chicken and watermelon than your average Northerner. Chickens and watermelons are grown in the south. Simple. I've yet to figure out why the consumption of foul and fruit is bad.

User Detail :  

Name : Paul S., City : Southfield, State : MI Country : United States, 

[Eric25200]

Fried Chicken and watermelon are southern foods, it became labeled to blacks during the massive migrations from the south after slavery, and northerners (even black northerners) placed the association.

User Detail :  

Name : Eric25200, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 27, City : Heidelberg, State : NA Country : Germany, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Tess24720]

It makes sense to me that this would be an economic issue. When I first encountered the stereotype of blacks liking chicken, watermelon, potato salad, what have you, I thought, 'Hey, that's what we always eat!' Money has always been tight in my family and I think my parents always got the cheapest food that could feed us all.

User Detail :  

Name : Tess24720, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Newark, State : DE Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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