There is a culinary question that has divided Black folks for decades, and we need to finally discuss it. It is not whether sugar goes in grits. That has been decided. Nor is the question, does catfish go with spaghetti? Because obviously it does. The question is simple: Do Black folks have a right to eat chitterlings?
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The answer is unquestionably yes. But first, let me put you on game.
Chitterlings (if you pronounce it the way it’s spelled, you will immediately get your black card revoked for good; the pronunciation is chitlins if you’re respecting the ancestors; some call them sh*tlins, but those are the pretentious Black folks) are a southern delicacy that is made from cleaning, seasoning and slow cooking the small intestines of a pig. They smell terrible as they stew, but the taste and texture of them is otherworldly if cleaned and cooked properly.
But many Black folks, especially those who don’t have ties to the South, hate the food. The evidence is in how they react at the very mention of them.
“We ain’t slaves no mo.” And “We is free now.” That’s how some Black folks react to the mere mention of the soul food delicacy.
But I object to those kinds of statements. They betray a lack of understanding about the meaning and significance of the food to Black culture.
Are chitlins high in sodium? Yes. Do they smell atrocious as they cook? Absolutely. Should Black folks eat them consistently? Well, no. That would contribute to the epidemic of high blood pressure that our people deal with. But should Black people have the right to eat them on special holidays? Absolutely.
Chitlins are not just another soul food like fried chicken or baked (not Stove Top) mac and cheese. They have a deep cultural significance to Southern Black culture that cannot be overstated.
After slavery, it was a food that was cooked only during times when Black families would gather for special holidays or family reunions. That’s the reason they’re usually served only on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas now.
The origins of the chitlins may have come from slavery, but their popularity actually spiked during the Civil Rights years. The food was a reminder of what Black folks in America had overcome and the fact that we can take anything and make it a delicacy.
But the food went out of style with millennials. That generation was not interested putting in the hours necessary to clean and cook chitlins properly. And many began to associate them with slavery and poverty, something that upwardly mobile Black folks wanted nothing to do with.
And yeah, they are not the healthiest food. Millennials are the most health-conscious generation, so it makes sense that Black folks born between 1986 and 1991 would be the ones to object to them.
But I’m not arguing that they should be eaten with every meal. Or even every month. And, full disclosure, I loved them in my youth, but no longer eat them for health reasons.
But should we turn our noses up at those who enjoy the food? Absolutely not. Do Black folks have a right to enjoy them without the derision and judgment of those who choose not to eat them? Yes.
Chitlins may not be your thing. But that doesn’t mean you should judge those who enjoy them. We may not be slaves anymore, but that does not stop us from enjoying barbecue, gumbo and jambalaya — all foods developed by slaves.
Why do some Black folks look down on those who eat chitlins? I can only come up with one reason. Because some of our people are uppity.
Straight From 
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