National Soul Food Month in June is steeped in tradition, tracing its heritage back generations.
While soul food and southern cooking may often be compared, African-American slaves developed soul food’s distinct character by creating outstanding meals from less-than-desirable cuts of meat and produce. Whether the meal consisted of fried meats and vegetables or bbq and baked goods, the meals served to nourish the body and the fellowship that accompanied it nourished the soul.
According to culinaryhistorians.org, the term “soul food” made its appearance and became popular in the 1960s, giving a name to the flavorful foods, often fried in pork fat, that were becoming known in kitchens and restaurants in cities across the country.
However, soul food doesn’t have to laden with fat. Fresh from the southern garden, it can be just as flavorful as it can be light. Many of the old recipes are new again with spices and herbs and pinches of the old traditions.
HISTORY
Charla Draper founded National Soul Food Month in 2001 to celebrate the rich history of soul food.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Take a tour through soul food heritage. Graze the flavors and spices of the heritage. Have a conversation while you’re at it and feed your soul. Listen to the history of the food, where it’s traveled, how it’s changed through the years. Use #NationalSoulFoodMonth to share your favorites on social media. Visit culinaryhistorians.org to learn more.
On January 11th, National Arkansas Day recognizes the Natural State and the 25th state to join the union.
Populated by Osage, Caddo, Quapaw tribes when French and Spanish explorers arrived in the area, Arkansas teems with streams, lakes, and rivers. Its eastern border is the Mississippi River. Little Rock may be its capital, but Arkansas is also known for big rocks and lots of rocks and minerals. It’s the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World, has the only diamond mine in the U.S., and the Magnet Cove region contains 102 varieties of minerals.
Arkansas earns the name “Natural State” with over half the state is forested and more than 1 million acres in Ozark National Forest. But that’s not all that contributes to the apt nickname.
Hot Springs National Park became America’s first national preserve in what later became the National Park System. When Arkansas was still a territory, officials recognized the unique qualities of the hot springs and requested the area be set aside and protected. President Andrew Jackson signed legislation on April 20, 1832, designating four sections of land which included the hot springs and adjacent mountains “…reserved for the future disposal of the United States (which) shall not be entered, located, or appropriated, for any other purpose whatsoever.”
When Arkansas first became a state in 1836, how to pronounce the name of the 25th state was up for debate. Was it Arkan-saw or Ar-kansas? The issue was settled in 1881 when the State General Assembly passed Concurrent Resolution No.4. It stated the state’s name would be pronounced Arkan-saw and spelled Arkansas.
Nestled along the Mississippi River, Arkansas swells with delta, Civil War era, the blues and jazz, and Western migration history. The worst maritime disaster in United States history occurred on the Mississippi River just north of Marion, Arkansas. Greater than the Titanic disaster, the Sultana steamboat exploded on April 27, 1865, just weeks after the end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Lincoln. Over 1,800 souls perished.
Official Arkansas
State Capital – Little Rock
State Nickname – The Natural State
State Motto – The People Rule
State Bird – Mockingbird
State Amphibian –
State Dinosaur – Arkansas fridays
State Butterfly – Diana Fritillary Butterfly
State Flower – Apple Blossom
State Animal – White tailed Deer
State Folk Dance – Square Dance
State Nut – Pecan
State Drink – Milk
State Tree – Flowering Dogwood
State Gemstone – Diamond
State Insect – Honeybee
Art and History
For a complete list of Arkansas State and National Parks & Historic Sites visit www.arkansasstateparks.com and www.nps.gov. Check out a few of the featured sites around the state below.
Enjoy Arkansas’ natural beauty and fascinating history. Uncover hidden treasures and soak up all of Arkansas’ impressive views! Use #NationalArkansasDay to share on social media.
On December 14th, National Alabama Day recognizes the Heart of Dixie.
The 22nd state to join the union, Alabama has played pivotal roles in U.S. history, scientific advancements and its magnificent landscapes attract visitors from far and wide.
Alabama enjoys 60 miles of shoreline along the Gulf Coast. While the coastal region is dotted with swamps and bayous, it also includes beautiful sandy beaches. Move northward from the coast, and the lowlands provide the fertile soils of the Black Belt, land that long yielded productive cotton crops. The Northern half of the state is dominated by the forested hills and valleys of the Appalachians.
As the original capital of the Confederacy until May of 1861 during the American Civil War, the small town of Montgomery set the stage for the secessionist government. Nearly 100 years later, the Civil Rights Movement would find a home and erupt across the state marching its vision to the rest of the country.
Official Alabama
State Capital – Montgomey State Nickname – The Yellowhammer State, State Motto – We Dare Defend our Rights State Bird – Northern Flicker State Game Bird – Eastern Wild Turkey State Amphibian – Red Hills Salamander State Flower – Camellia State Fish – Large Mouth Bass State Crustacean – Brown Shrimp State Fruit – Peach State Fossil – Basilosaurus cetoides State Mineral – Hematite State Tree – Southern Longleaf Pine State Song – Alabama State Quilt – Pine Burr Quilt
Agriculture, Military and Meat & Three
Bringing diversity to agriculture at a time when the boll weevil was wreaking havoc on cotton crops, George Washington Carver provided the opportunity for successful planting and harvesting of a legume that continues to be popular not only in the south but across the United States. The peanut brought new farming methods and agricultural stability to a suffering southern industry.
Home of the Tuskegee Airmen, the 332nd Fighter Group, the first African American military aviators, the science team that helped put man on the moon, and the first African American woman in space, Alabama is another state that keeps looking to the sky.
In Alabama, and all across Southern states, the meat and three will fill you up with more satisfying comfort food than you can find anywhere other than your mother’s kitchen. The restaurant style includes a mouth-watering homemade meat of your choosing – crispy fried chicken, juicy sweet ham or tender roast beef – and then a selection of three sides. A roll and dessert are usually included as well. All this is served in a relaxed, downhome atmosphere.
Alabama Flavor
Fried Catfish Shrimp Grits Boiled Peanuts Fried Okra Fried Pickles Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy Peach Cobbler Pecan Pie Banana Pudding
For a complete list of Illinois State and National Parks & Historic Sites visit www.alapark.com and www.nps.gov. Check out a few of the featured sites around the state below.
Explore Alabama’s rich history and remarkable landscapes. Get to know their people, culture and uncover the hidden places of Alabama! Use #NationalAlabamaDay to share on social media.
National Oklahoma Day on June 7 recognizes the 46th state to be granted statehood.
The panhandled state of Oklahoma is a dotted series of granite mountain peaks, sloping sandstone ridges, rolling hills, and plains. In 1803, the land became part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase.
Across the state, significant sites record the result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail crosses nine states and describes the brutal impact on the lives of Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles.
In 1889, several counties in Oklahoma became open to settlement by Land Run. Settlers could claim quarter sections of land only after a specific time (usually noon) on a set date. Some eager settlers would cross the boundary into the county seeking their preferred quarter section sooner than the stroke of noon, earning them (and the state) the nickname “Sooners.”
From the Arkansas River to the Neosho River, Oklahoma has scenic views, lakes and mountain trails. Put on your hiking boots and make some trail mix for an afternoon adventure. After a good hike, take in Route 66 for a drive and maybe pick up some barbeque or something fried. Oklahomans seem to have cornered the market on nearly everything fried. To mention a few, we came across fried okra and lamb balls and catfish. For something fresh, don’t forget the state fruit. Strawberries!
HOW TO OBSERVE
Join National Day Calendar as we celebrate National Oklahoma Day. We’ll take a drive out on the open highway, and work up an appetite. Discover the best eateries in the state and explore the history that goes with them. Find adventure in The Sooner State and use #NationalOklahomaDay to share on social media.
National Oklahoma Day on June 7 recognizes the 46th state to be granted statehood.
The panhandled state of Oklahoma is a dotted series of granite mountain peaks, sloping sandstone ridges, rolling hills, and plains. In 1803, the land became part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase.
Across the state, significant sites record the result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail crosses nine states and describes the brutal impact on the lives of Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles.
In 1889, several counties in Oklahoma became open to settlement by Land Run. Settlers could claim quarter sections of land only after a specific time (usually noon) on a set date. Some eager settlers would cross the boundary into the county seeking their preferred quarter section sooner than the stroke of noon, earning them (and the state) the nickname “Sooners.”
From the Arkansas River to the Neosho River, Oklahoma has scenic views, lakes and mountain trails. Put on your hiking boots and make some trail mix for an afternoon adventure. After a good hike, take in Route 66 for a drive and maybe pick up some barbeque or something fried. Oklahomans seem to have cornered the market on nearly everything fried. To mention a few, we came across fried okra and lamb balls and catfish. For something fresh, don’t forget the state fruit. Strawberries!
HOW TO OBSERVE
Join National Day Calendar as we celebrate National Oklahoma Day. We’ll take a drive out on the open highway, and work up an appetite. Discover the best eateries in the state and explore the history that goes with them. Find adventure in The Sooner State and use #NationalOklahomaDay to share on social media.
