Soul food became a widely used term for African American cooking and food traditions during the 1960s.
The word “soul” was already important in African American cultural expression, including soul music and the Black Power movement. Applying it to food emphasized cultural identity, community, and historical continuity rather than merely describing regional dishes.
The cuisine itself is older than the label. It developed through the interaction of West African, Indigenous, European, and Southern American foodways, shaped by slavery, migration, segregation, and economic hardship. Common foods include greens, beans, cornbread, fried chicken, pork, rice, and sweet potatoes. Not every African American or Southern dish is automatically soul food, and regional traditions vary considerably.