Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Table: Breaking Bread in Troubled Times

~ March 1968

As she remembered,

“The news came on, and whenever there was a flash on TV about it, he got very quiet . . . I think he was more depressed that night . . . than I’d ever seen him because the violence really got to him.”

When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returned to Memphis the following April, he hoped to energize the strike. After delivering a rousing speech about struggle and freedom, he prepared to attend a celebratory dinner the next day. It was to feature some of his favorite foods: macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, greens, crowder peas, and sweet potato pie.

Before he could break bread with his friends and colleagues in Memphis, he was assassinated.

Excerpt by Marcia Chatelain

Benedict J. Fernandez, Dr. King enjoys lunch with his family after church in Atlanta, c. 1967-1968, printed 1989, gelatin silver print, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Eastman Kodak Company and Michael S. Engl), 2016.22.95.5

Midday Meal

"In the photograph, we see King and his wife, a handsome couple in their 30s. They are seated on opposite ends of a dining room table with the remains of a midday meal in front of them. Coretta Scott King, in silhouette, is smiling; she is stylish and impeccably groomed. In addition to the three guests, their daughter Bernice sits at her mother’s right hand.

The room is as well appointed as the people in it. The backs of the Sheraton-style dining chairs are shaped like lily pads. The dark wood of the chairs complements the finish of the glass-paneled china cabinet, which reveals the family’s delicate dining pieces and maybe a few heirlooms. Peeking from the top of the frame are chandelier arms, but the room is mostly brightened by sunlight, partially filtered by sheer curtains.

The meal has been eaten, but the breadbasket, gravy boat, water goblets, and cloth napkins indicate that lunch was flawlessly served. Known for his hearty appetite, King may have insisted that one of his preferred main dishes—golden fried chicken, breaded catfish, or sliced ham—be served on the silver platter."

National Gallery of Art, article written by Marcia Chatelain

Rose's Sweet Potato Pie

Click HERE for her recipe on the justapinch.com recipe site

Ingredients

2 c cooked sweet potatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1 can 13 oz. evaporated milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

3/4-1 c granulated sugar

2 lg eggs, beaten (room temperature)

2-3 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 9 inch deep pie shell

Directions

STEP 1

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F. Beat or mash sweet potatoes until smooth in

texture and no visible lumps remain. REMOVE ANY STRINGS that wrap around the

beater.

STEP 2

Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour into unbaked pie shell

and bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour or until filling is set, and crust is

browned. Allow to cool completely before serving.

The recipe makes 1 sweet potato pie-Rose tripled the recipe for these 3 pies