Photograph courtesy of Netflix
Food writer and Atlanta native Stephen Satterfield (not to be confused with the Miller Union chef who spells his first name with a “v”) takes viewers on a wide-ranging journey in the critically-acclaimed Netflix series, High on the Hog. The series, an adaptation of the book written by food historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris, digs deep into the rich history of Black American food. Whereas the show’s first season explored the history of Black American food in relation to its West African roots and the impacts of slavery, season two uncovers the role that Black American cuisine has played in fueling social justice movements, transforming communities, and awakening cultural creativity. To do so, Satterfield visited New Orleans, Los Angeles, New York, and, of course, Atlanta.
“My big thesis in life is that food touches everything. If one of the things is a movement for the liberation of Black people, then there’s going to be a food story there. There’s actually going to be a lot of food stories there,” Satterfield explains. “One of the ones that we covered was twofold. One about Black college students doing a tactical, strategic, and mindful interjection of a public food service establishment. The other side of that was the role of an establishment like Paschal’s as a safe place to organize and galvanize, especially after you were just released from jail or after a demonstration. Coming together to talk about what comes next—to talk about what to do, how it went, how to improve. This happens over food. Food touches everything.”
Photograph courtesy of Netflix
It’s impossible to discuss the Civil Rights Movement and its profound impact on American history without discussing the many sit-ins that took place in restaurants across the South. The sit-ins that took place in downtown Atlanta played a significant role in the work towards desegregation. During one protest that
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