To celebrate Black History Month, Chartwells provides menus with African-American inspired cuisine. Chartwells officials said the menus were created by the Pan-African Student Association. Promotional items for the venture, which is offered every Friday during the month of February, advertise “homestyle favorites and island cuisine.” Menus items included dishes such as the following: fried chicken, fried catfish, collard greens, red velvet cake, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and peach cobbler. Do you think serving African-American cuisine in the University Center during Black History Month is racist?
“No, it is just a way to celebrate and emphasize the Black History Month. To me it shows no signs of racism. In fact, I wish they did it every Friday.” Soraya Demetric, junior English major
Joshua Allen, junior information systems major
“I do not think it is racist at all. They are just trying to support and promote Black History Month. There are Italian, Spanish and other types of foods served at school. Also, people eat it all at home.Why not on a college campus?”
Nichole Evans, freshman biology major
“It is not racist at all. To me it is just a cultural thing. It is one way to emphasize the black culture. The same question could be asked for Chinese or Indian food.”
Sarah Mohammed, junior environmental
studies major
“I think it is a good idea. It honors the holiday. At the same time, however, someone could take offense to it because it is not a permanent thing. Maybe Shark Dining should consider soul food as a weekly thing.”
Holly Marcotte, first-year graduate student
in speech therapy
“I really do not think it is racist. People see it as stereotypical, but soul food is associated with African-Americans. When the Culinary Table serves tacos, no one gets offended or views it negatively.”
Dannye Alvarez, second-year MBA student
