ULRI-ULSE Celebrates Black History Month with a Food and Culture Series

Black History Month is an annual celebration that acknowledges the many achievements of African Americans and recognizes their central role in U.S. history. As organizations come together to celebrate the month, our UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) team found a creative way to engage and educate our colleagues about African American culture using something we can all relate to—food!

Food is a powerful connector. It fosters relationships and creates bonds between individuals across various cultures and communities. It provides a window into the histories, traditions, and values of diverse communities.

ULRI and ULSE launched a food and culture series called Across the Table to commemorate how food brings people together and honors culinary diversity and cultural heritage. We kicked it off with a celebration of soul food. Soul food originated from the culinary traditions of African slaves brought to the Southern United States. Enslaved Africans combined their traditional cooking methods and ingredients with those available in the New World. Over time, they adapted recipes and blended traditions from African, Native American, and European culinary traditions, which led to the development of unique dishes that are now soul food staples.

The event featured a webinar in which Chef Royce, owner of Soul Prime Chicago, discussed the rich history and cultural significance of soul food which is deeply rooted in African heritage and serves as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and cultural influence of African Americans around the world, while employees at local ULRI-ULSE sites enjoyed the cuisine from local soul food restaurants.

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