BBG Today – January 2, 2025
Spotlight on The Pioneer Press & Affrilachian Food Renaissance
Episode Overview
- Podcast Update: We’re learning AI-enhanced production and appreciate your patience as we work toward daily morning releases.
- Historical Highlight:
- Introduction to The Pioneer Press, founded by John Robert “J.R.” Clifford—Black Civil War veteran, lawyer, and civil rights pioneer.
- A look at the January 1915 (Vol. 22, No. 43) front-page editorial, “AS IT APPEARS TO ME,” by Bishop O. P. Fitzgerald, a white Methodist Episcopal bishop with paternalistic 19th-century views on race.
- The Pioneer Press tagline: “Here shall the Press, the people’s rights, unawed by influence and unbribed by glamour.”
- Modern Perspective:
- Clifford’s commitment to open dialogue despite differing views.
- Affrilachia’s Food Renaissance: Crystal Good’s latest article at BlackByGod.org celebrates Black Appalachian cuisine and the women who inspire her cooking journey.
Key Takeaways
- Pioneer Press Significance: A historic Black newspaper that amplified diverse voices and fought for racial justice.
- Bishop O. P. Fitzgerald: White Methodist leader whose editorial offers insight into common attitudes of the era toward Black Americans.
- Affrilachian Foodways: Highlighting today’s cultural and culinary revival, led by strong community figures and rooted in heritage.
Links & Resources
- BlackByGod.org: Read “Affrilachia’s Food Renaissance is My Renaissance…” by Crystal Good.
- J.R. Clifford Info:
Thank you for listening to BBG Today.