The Flavor Lineage
How Africa, Europe & America Shaped Southern Cooking
Monday, August 4th, 12-1pm Eastern Time via Zoom
Panelists: Psyche Williams-Forson, Professor and
JBF Award-Winning Author
Dame Liz Williams, Founder of the Southern
Food & Beverage Museum
From low country to back country, a story of culinary fusion
What do corn bread, gumbo, and barbecue have in common?
They’re all delicious testaments to a rich, complex history of survival, adaptation, and cultural fusion.
Southern cuisine didn’t just appear—it was born at the crossroads of European colonization, African enslavement, and Native American resilience. At the center of this culinary Venn diagram are dishes shaped by struggle, ingenuity, and creativity:
Corn bread blends Native American corn, African techniques, and European baking traditions.
Gumbo stirs together African okra, Native filé powder, and a classic French roux.
Barbecue is a smoky symphony of Native fire-pit cooking, African spices, and European meat-curing methods.
Even Southern hospitality has deep cultural roots.
Where did all this come from—and what stories have yet to be told?
Join us as we explore the layered, often overlooked story of Southern foodways, and celebrate the legacy behind the flavors.
Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar in Black food studies. She is the author of Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America (James Beard Media Award winner, 2023) and Building Houses out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power (American Folklore Society prizewinner). She also coedited Taking Food Public: Redefining Food in a Changing World. Dr. Williams-Forson’s work explores the convergence of food, race, gender, and power. Her research and writing offer vital insights into the African and African American influences that continue to shape Southern food and identity.
Instagram: @buildinghouses9, Facebook: PA Williams-Forson
Liz Williams is the founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans and a leading voice in the preservation of Southern culinary heritage. With a background in law and a passion for food history, Liz explores the complex intersections of culture, cuisine, and identity. Her work often highlights the African and European influences that shaped the American South. She is the author of New Orleans: A Food Biography and Lift Your Spirits. As a writer, speaker, and advocate, Liz brings a rich perspective that resonates deeply with women shaping the culinary world today.
Instagram: @lizatsofab, Facebook: Liz Williams
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