Sherman's troops are why Southerners eat black eyed peas on New Years Day

Belle Montgomery

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Most Southerners will tell you that it dates back to the Civil War. Black-eyed peas were considered animal food (like purple hull peas). The peas were not worthy of General Sherman's Union troops. When Union soldiers raided the Confederates food supplies, legend says they took everything except the peas and salted pork. The Confederates considered themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and survived the winter. Peas became symbolic of luck.
Black-eyed peas were also given to slaves, as were most other traditional New Year's foods.
REST OF ARTICLE:https://www.tripsavvy.com/blackeyed-peas-on-new-years-day-2212478
 
Most Southerners will tell you that it dates back to the Civil War. Black-eyed peas were considered animal food (like purple hull peas). The peas were not worthy of General Sherman's Union troops. When Union soldiers raided the Confederates food supplies, legend says they took everything except the peas and salted pork. The Confederates considered themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and survived the winter. Peas became symbolic of luck.
Black-eyed peas were also given to slaves, as were most other traditional New Year's foods.
REST OF ARTICLE:https://www.tripsavvy.com/blackeyed-peas-on-new-years-day-2212478
I personally like Black-eyed peas! Great to hear that Southerners are thankful for at least one outcome from Sherman's March!
 
Sherman may have cemented the practice, but the Jews were eating black eyed peas for New Years going back to 500 A.D., so I'm wondering if the idea may have come to the South via Africa, along with the tradition of eating black eyed peas with rice. Where ever it's from, I'm glad it started up, because it's my yearly reminder of how good black eyed peas can be! Didn't grow up with them and they've never become a staple in our house, but we do have them every January a time or two (although rarely on New Year's Day the years we have Christmas elsewhere!).
 
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