Health Beats Blog Who Made the Potato Salad?

The Black Family, Food and 4th of July Celebrations

Hello Rochester, this is Nurse Bowick!
Who made the potato salad? That question has become equally as controversial as the decades
long debate that questions, should African Americans celebrate the 4

the of July?

The late Frederick Douglass reminded our nation’s founding fathers in a scathing speech
delivered, July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York that, “This 4th of July is yours, not mine, you
may rejoice, I must mourn.”
Let me tell you something, if that that potato salad isn’t right your whole family will be in
mourning.
Potato salad recipes are closely guarded family secrets with historical links to Germany,
infused with the mouthwatering flavors of southern cuisine. Whether you are using Russet
potatoes, Yukon potatoes, butter potatoes, boiled in water or chicken broth, sweet relish, dill
relish, sweet onion, yellow onion, every kind of onion, yellow mustard, mayonnaise or miracle
whip, boiled eggs, crisp fresh celery, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika plus, do not, let me
repeat, do not put raisins in the potato salad.
For many Black families, potato salad is more than just food. Potato salad symbolizes home,
comfort and love. When you earn the right to make the potato salad for family gatherings,
holidays and reunions, it becomes your turn to honor, guard and pass along your family’s
food history to the next generation. Messing up the potato salad is the fastest path to
excommunication from the Black Family.
Folks, there are no right or wrong answers on African Americans and 4

the of July Celebrations.
The choice is uniquely yours. Our nation’s past and present treatment of African Americans is
downright disgusting and continues to compromise our health and wellness. I am choosing not
to dwell in a disgusting space.
As for me and mines, the 4

the of July is a day to honor family, acknowledge the struggle, change
course as needed and celebrate progress. July 4th, 2025, I am making the potato salad, and
we are eating potato salad. From the station that cares about the community 1039 WDKX.