Speaker: 'Through food, we learn about the Black roots of Juneteenth'

Food is central to many celebrations, from family gatherings such as weddings to national holidays, like Thanksgiving or Juneteenth.

The keynote speaker for Grand Valley's inaugural celebration said connecting food to Juneteenth is a long-standing tradition for Black Americans and a way for all Americans to better understand the nation's newest federal holiday.

Bobby J. Smith II, assistant professor of African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, spoke June 19 at the L. William Seidman Center during a luncheon sponsored by the President’s Office, Office of the Provost, and Division of Inclusion and Equity.

"As a nation, we erase the significance of food when recognizing Juneteenth," said Smith, a native of Texas. "But through food, we learn about the Black roots of Juneteenth."

He said what is now commonly known as "farm to table" was how Blacks celebrated Juneteenth, including his own family.

"I asked my father, who was born in the 1950s, what does Juneteenth mean to you? He said it was a feast, a day off, a celebration, and the one day out of the year that we felt like we were someone," Smith said.

Former enslaved people honored their farming and agrarian backgrounds during the initial Juneteenth celebrations, Smith said, adding the holiday is now a reminder to "pursue justice in all aspects of society."

And yet today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture lists Black households as being the nation's most food insecure, Smith said. "Knowing facts like that should push us to address these inequities," he said.

Smith's first book, "Food Power Politics: The Food Story of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement," will be released in August by the University of North Carolina Press. 

Later in the afternoon, Provost Fatma Mili hosted a faculty panel discussion focused on understanding and celebrating Juneteenth as part of the Quest Series. 

Participating faculty members were Ta'les Love, assistant professor of integrative, religious, and interdisciplinary studies; Louis Moore, professor of history; and Dwayne Tunstall, professor of philosophy and associate dean for Inclusive Excellence and Curriculum, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Mark Schaub, dean of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, was the moderator.