Document Type
Honors Thesis
Abstract
This thesis investigates the two roles African Americans have in shaping Southern baking: first, as the foundational yet historically erased creators of techniques, ingredient traditions, and signature dishes; and second, as contemporary entrepreneurs reclaiming this heritage through the baking industry. Using a conceptual framework of Culinary Justice, Critical Race Theory (with a focus on counter-narratives), and Culinary Entrepreneurship, this study analyzes historical knowledge, cookbooks, and primary source narratives, alongside present-day interviews with Black culinary and pastry professionals. The research tests two hypotheses: first, that the contribution of enslaved Africans was significant and measurable across specific techniques, ingredient adaptation, and “making do” mentality; and second, that modern Blackowned bakeries function as social enterprises that preserve cultural identity, reclaim narrative authority, and address community needs. By tracing specific ingredients, including benne, sweet potatoes, sorghum, and techniques, such as open-hearth mastery and deep-frying, through their journey from plantation kitchens and slave quarters to modern bakeries, this thesis argues that baking is a powerful, edible archive of African American history and an influential mechanism for shaping a more equitable culinary future.
Repository Citation
Bell, Christiana, "Making it Work for the Future: Enslaved Contributions to Southern Baking and the Rise of Black Culinary Entrepreneurship" (2026). Honors Theses - Providence Campus. 83.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/student_scholarship/83
