The 1950s were a high risk time for all black men and women who contributed to fighting for their equal rights in a divided America. Anyone suspected of being involved in the Civil Rights movement was vulnerable to violence and persecution in their homes, neighborhoods, and towns.
Ms. Georgia Gilmore found a way in which she, and other women, could support a cause she believed strongly about without bringing attention to themselves and others- by cooking.
“When King and others held meetings of the Montgomery Improvement Association at the Holt Street Baptist Church, Gilmore was there, selling tied chicken sandwiches and other foods to the men and women…who pledged not to use the city busses.” Her home became a central meeting place for top leaders in the civil rights movement, as well as others who were inspired and desired change.
Gilmore’s ingenuity can be found in John Edge’s The Potlikker Papers: A Food History in the Modern South– a unique look at how food played a role in some of our history’s most contentious times.
Everyone plays a role in making our lives better for everyone. What is you role? #Bethechange.
