Marshall celebrates annual Soul Food Feast

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Lilly Dyer | Photo Editor

Former State Senator Marie Redd laughs with diners at the Annual Soul Food Feast Sunday in the Don Morris Room at the Memorial Student Center.

The Carter G. Woodson Soul Food Feast kicks off Black History Month on campus.

The Carter G. Woodson Annual Soul Food Feast made its return this past Sunday in celebration of Black History Month.

Marshall students, faculty and members of the community came together to enjoy African American dishes such as fried chicken, mac and cheese and collard greens. The event not only had people who regularly eat soul food, but also allowed those who do not indulge as much in this type of cuisine to try something new.

“I grew up in a household that had all African food, so I’ve never had soul food before,” said Jacqueline Brown, a freshman who grew up in a Ghanaian family. “The atmosphere is why I came. I could’ve just went to Harless, but where else can you go to have the experience of a soul food feast?”

said Dr. Alan B. Gould who has served as Marshall’s interim president, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and is now retired.

“To break bread with somebody is informal, so you learn more about people,” said Alan B. Gould, former interim president and den of the College of Liberal Arts. “The food is what I’m used to anyway, and over the years, I’ve met a lot of fine people that I normally would never have met, so I’ve always enjoyed it.”

Along with the food and social interaction, the Soul Food Feast also informed attendees about upcoming events being offered

throughout Black History Month, such as the Rev. Matthew Watts’ “Next Steps” following the State of African Americans in West Virginia Summit, a Frederick Douglass speech reenactment of “What to a Slave is the 4th of July” and a presentation by Carla Hayden, the 14th librarian of Congress and the first African-American and first woman appointed to this position.Olayinka Bamiro can be contacted at [email protected].