The phrase “soul food” became widely popular in the United States during the 1960s.
The term emerged alongside the Black Power and broader Black cultural movements of that decade. “Soul” was used in music, literature, fashion, and food to express African American identity and cultural pride. Earlier generations had cooked many of the same dishes without using this modern label.
Soul food developed from African, Indigenous, European, and African American culinary traditions. Common foods include greens, beans, cornbread, fried chicken, pork, rice dishes, and sweet desserts, although no single menu defines every regional tradition.
The 1960s popularization of the phrase does not mean the cooking itself began then. The dishes and techniques have much older histories, shaped by slavery, segregation, migration, church gatherings, family meals, and regional Southern agriculture.