Buzz
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, brings with it a variety of customs that define the holiday. Alongside family reunions, prayer services, and speeches, the food plays a central role, with many eagerly awaiting specific dishes.
Among these, one dish stands out, carrying deep, though sometimes overlooked, significance. The Marcus Garvey bean salad, made with green, red, and black beans, reflects more than just its name—its colors are part of its story.
Marcus Garvey was a pioneering Black nationalist from Jamaica, active in the early 1900s. In 1914, he established the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA), advocating fiercely for Black empowerment. Garvey called for self-reliance within Black communities, aiming to create independent wealth and resources rather than seek change from existing structures. His endeavors included founding the Black Cross Nurses to provide healthcare and the Black Star Line steamship company, which facilitated connections to Africa.
After Marcus Garvey moved to the United States, his influence grew rapidly, attracting hundreds of thousands of supporters who helped fuel the subsequent civil rights movement.
Garvey’s views weren’t universally accepted, especially among those who favored the status quo. The FBI maintained a file on him, and a conviction related to a Black Star Line stock fraud resulted in his imprisonment and eventual deportation. However, Garvey’s unwavering dedication to the Black community and his push for economic empowerment left a profound legacy.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once remarked, Garvey was the 'first man of color in the history of the United States to lead and develop a mass movement.'
The origin of the bean salad named after Garvey remains unclear, and it’s uncertain who first created the recipe. However, the ingredients are symbolically significant. The green, red, and black beans represent the colors of the African nationalist flag, which Garvey’s movement adopted in 1920. This flag is also known by various names, including the Pan-African flag, Marcus Garvey flag, UNIA flag, Afro-American flag, or Black Liberation flag.
Garvey had long advocated for a flag to represent the movement, believing it would establish a political presence for the Black community.
Red was selected to symbolize the blood that was both shared and spilled by Africans, black represented identity, and green served as a symbol of Africa's growth and fertility.
One version of the salad incorporates kidney beans, black olives, and green lettuce, representing the colors of the flag. Like many traditions tied to Juneteenth, serving this dish goes beyond mere celebration—it's about honoring the struggles of those who came before.
