Hicks prepares gumbo to greet the new year

Derek S. Hicks, Henry Luce Diversity Fellow, makes his own gumbo as a New Year’s tradition for his family, just as it was for his grandmother and her family. Hicks’ research often focuses on the role of food in black culture and religious life. This Spring he’ll be teaching a course titled Culinary Culture in Black Religious Experience, which will give particular attention to the historical relationship between eating and church life, highlighting diverse and creative forms of culinary expression in the African American faith tradition and the ways in which food becomes transformative for those struggling with human dignity. In a recent article of the Winston-Salem Journal, Hicks was interviewed about his gumbo New Year’s tradition, what the dish means to him, and how his recipe has been refined over time. Read the full article here.