From Africa to America, seafood has always been a staple in the diets of Black people, and not only because it tastes good.
With Africa being the most tropical continent in the world, fish, shellfish, and other types of aquatic animals have been heavily passed down in traditional meals. Many of those traditions carried over when Africans were enslaved and brought to America. This includes our relationship with one particular crustacean.
Lobster is arguably the most popular shellfish of all, and if it weren’t for its expensive price today, it’d be eaten much more frequently. But this aquatic animal wasn’t always so pricey.
Lobster used to be one of the cheapest animals available to Black people during enslavement, and was one of the few options we had to choose from when it came to eating. The shellfish is prepared and served in a multitude of different ways.
We should be proud of our culinary contributions to lobster and all other types of seafood dishes. Because if it wasn’t for Black culture, we may not have the seafood recipes we use today.