Commemorating the Black Diaspora through History and Cuisine around Dallas

February is not just the coldest and shortest month on our Gregorian calendar. It’s also the time to reflect on the contributions of a people whose genesis began in the vast continent of Africa. Although Black History should be celebrated 365 days a year, this is the month where we take pause to appreciate the prestigious and honorable contributions of Americans who were once considered “three-fifths of a person” in this country. In the beginning, these men, women and children were stolen from their homes and brought to foreign lands to be stripped of their identity, heritage and their history. Over time these people, above all odds, chose to fight for rights and basic human decency to create a vibrant and rich culture that today is revered and often imitated.

Enslaved people from Africa were not just pushed into harsh labor and inhumane treatment to the rocky shores of North America. European colonists also exploited these people in the Caribbean islands of Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Dominican as well as South America. After 400 years of these cruel atrocities and another 100-plus years of repressive laws designed to maintain oppression, people of the Black diaspora still continue to battle for fair and equal treatment under the law.

Some like to argue that we now live in a post-racial society, that we shouldn’t be burdened with the sins of the forefathers because it teaches hate, resentment and makes children feel bad despite knowing, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” as George Santayana said.

Their belief is it’s better to bask in the glory of the accomplishments while treating the surrounding atrocious conditions of those very accomplishments as inconsequential. Often where a person sits will determine where they stand on the topics of the virulent treatment of Blacks in this country, but one thing is irrefutable: The countless contributions of Blacks in America and around the world continue to be a fixture in the fabric of our lives. Maya Angelou brilliantly wrote in her poem I Rise, “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave, I rise!”

Through art, medicine, technology, music, food and more, Black culture still carries with it the majestic influence of the ancestors that will forever continue to guide and benefit us all. We all rise!

There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month, and one is supporting Black businesses and restaurants in your area. Here are a few great eateries to visit this month as well as year-round.

South Dallas Café
7035 Marvin D. Love Freeway
11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday - Sunday
Although this is not the original location, South Dallas Café has been the standard for soul food in Dallas. For almost 25 years, the Price family has been serving some of the best southern comfort food this side of the Mason-Dixon. Here you can enjoy soul food favorites like oxtail, smothered pork chops, collard greens, cornbread and even barbecue.

This is usually the place I take folks who inconceivably never experienced the magic of soul food cooking. You can also get a large glass of that sweet nectar we all grew up with, Kool-aid. After they pass out from the “itis” and I pull them from their food-induced comas, they generally want to come back for more. Be sure to check the menu before you visit, because the food items offered vary throughout the week. Save room for dessert. The peach cobbler slaps!

Lola's Restaurant and Lounge
3435 N. Beltline Road (Irving)
11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday

Anytime someone asks me if I've had African food, I generally cringe and through my clutched jaw gently ask them to be more specific because Africa is a continent with over 50 countries. Most countries that reside in Africa have their own unique flavors and ingredients when it comes to their culinary expressions. West African food is vastly different from East African food. When I asked Nigerian chef Taye Ajibulu of T&K Hospitality about this, he stated that one difference is that Nigerian meats are cooked to be a bit tougher. It’s believed this helps people to be stronger and more resilient.

One of my favorites is Lola's Restaurant and Lounge located in Irving. Lola’s markets itself as Afropolitan restaurant providing authentic African cuisines. You can try delicious Nigerian dishes such as suya (a spicy meat skewer), jollof rice, goat pepper soup and designer stew made from palm oil, fermented locust beans and bell peppers. My absolute favorite is the whole fried fish that is a mix of spicy and savory and shrouded in delectable crispy edges. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also try the cow’s feet.

Elaine's Jamaican Kitchen
2717 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday, closed Sunday
If you ever go to a Jamaican restaurant and the staff gives you the warm and fuzzies upon arrival, I am sad to say the food may not be worth trying. If you don’t feel intimidated like the guys on Seinfeld when they went to visit the “Soup Nazi," then you're probably in the wrong place. I’m sure the staff of Elaine’s is genuinely kind, but like everyone else, I’m there for the fire Caribbean cuisine.

Located in the historical cross-section of Malcolm X Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard, Elaine’s breaths life into South Dallas and beyond with its tropical food vibes one plate at a time. The blend of enslaved Africans along with indentured servitude of East and South Asians gave birth to some of the rich flavors we love today. A few of my go-to's are the curried goat, oxtail, callaloo and rice and peas. Although this is a Jamaican restaurant the portion sizes are unmistakably Texan. One entrée can easily be a meal for two unless you are like me and can’t stop eating when the food is so ridiculously good.

Queen of Sheba
14875 Inwood Road (Addison)
11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday, Tuesday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Monday
One of the most recognizable exported cuisines from the Motherland comes from the eastern side of the continent. The rise of Ethiopian immigrants arriving to the United States probably started in the ‘70s when the country was facing food shortages and political unrest. Over the years the numbers of East Africans have risen and as they carve out a new life in Dallas we can thank the heavenly stars they brought their food with them. Queen of Sheba was the first to introduce me to the enchanting rich flavors of Ethiopian food. If you have never tried it, it will be an experience you won't easily forget.

Inejra (a spongy sour fermented crepe-like flatbread) is the staple of each meal. Your entrée of choice is spread out in a decadent fashion across the injera with extra rolls of injera on the side to be the vehicle you use to eat with. No utensils are needed. I almost always order the kitfo (minced raw beef with various spices) as an appetizer. Other personal favorites are the doro wot (slow-cooked chicken with butter sauce and berbere) and the Tibse (round beef with red onions, jalapeno, garlic in a spicy butter sauce). Ethiopian is famously spicy, so if you can’t take the heat be sure to let them know. Don’t try to be a hero.

El Mofongo
3701 S. Cooper (Arlington)
11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Saturday, closed Sunday
This restaurant is named after one of Puerto Rico’s most popular dishes, Mofongo. It’s a mound of fried mashed plantain stuffed with pork rinds, seafood or a combination of all of them. This Puerto Rican dish culture spawned from a combination of African, Taino (the natives) and European ancestry that continued to blend long after slavery there was abolished. It’s very similar to island neighbors in the Dominican Republic who call this mangu.

This mofongo is like opening a time capsule of flavors from the island’s deep tumultuous past. The Spaniards imported the beef and pork, the Taino lived on a diet of corn and seafood, and the enslaved Africans brought with them vegetables like okra, ackee and beans. Pernil (roasted pork shoulder) with fried plantain is a must if you visit the restaurant. The carne or chuela frita are very tasty but fried hard, which reminds me of the West African method of cooking. Puerto Rican food is not spicy at all but is packed with various flavors you may not be accustomed to.

Happy Black History Month.