American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States

by Anela Malik, Renae Wilson

The history of American cuisine is deeply tied to African American roots. In this beautifully illustrated journey through the rich, indelible, and often unrecognized contributions of African American culinary traditions, Anela Malik uncovers the remarkable history of many of America's most iconic dishes, and shares fascinating stories from some of America's top chefs, restaurateurs, and food workers, along with 75 mouthwatering recipes.

Genres: Cookbooks, History, Nonfiction, Food, African American

320 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Claudia Majetich · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like to cook, and I like to read American history. So, I was very excited when I saw this book on the new arrival shelf in my library.

I was disappointed in the book. There are little nuggets of interesting info, but overall it does't contain much in the way of new information.

The recipes were not particularly interesting either. One of my pet peeves is that more than one recipe has "Cajun seasoning" as an ingredient, but no recipe for Cajun seasoning is given in the book for this of us who prefer to make their own mixes. (There are lots of recipes for it and its cousin, Creole seasoning, online though.) And given the size and weight (3.5 lbs!!), it contains only 40 recipes, most of which I've already come across.

The design of the book was no very readable. The pages looked pretty until you tried to read them. The chosen typeface (light weight, sans serif) and the wide columns made it hard to read. It's a book to look at, not one to be read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book with so much info about the history of food in the US and how it is influenced in the best ways, through and through by black people. I only had to knock a star off because I wanted more- more info, more sources, more recipes- next time she needs to make and encyclopedia of American Soul!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less of a cookbook, more of a history, this was fascinating. There aren’t many recipes in here, but I learned a tremendous amount. The photos, historical records, and art presented are a lovely balance to the text, and the juxtaposition of food and culture are intricately woven. The author does an excellent job of giving full credit to the BIPOC diaspora.

[ALEYA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this book connects culture, food, and history perfectly. I finished this a while ago but I wanted to try at least a couple of recipes before putting in my review… that BBQ sauce is amazing!!! I’m super excited to try the mac and cheese recipe too:)

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book on Goodreads Giveaways. Absolutely beautiful. It would make a wonderful gift. It's filled with fascinating history, facts and recipes.

[Maudaevee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a beautiful book, so many great photos, interesting history and wonderful recipes. I think this would be a book that would appeal to many people so would make an excellent gift.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars