The Gullah Geechee are direct descendants of the first Black people forcibly transported from Africa to the US, who arrived in southeastern port cities such as Charleston, South Carolina. Several isolated communities survive today in coastal cities stretching from Florida to North Carolina, including Georgia’s Sea Islands.
Known for taking immense pride in their distinct customs, heritage and African-Creole dialect, Gullah Geechee communities are similarly proud of their cuisine, which is the basis for much of what’s considered Southern food today. If you’ve ever had shrimp and grits or Hoppin’ John, you’ve had Gullah Geechee food.
Theirs is a grain-based cuisine, with rice playing a starring role —