‘American Soul’ author explains how Black history shapes US cuisine

Anela Malik worked as a diplomat before becoming a storyteller about Black food history — and much more. She hosts the web series, “Our Block,” about Black businesses and local heroes, organizes global travel and is the writer and content creator behind the website formerly called Feed the Malik. She’s also the author of “American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States” (National Geographic, $40), which traces the history of Black foodways in the U.S. from the first documented arrival of African peoples to a North American settlement in 1619 to today. The book, which came out in September, emphasizes just how deeply Black food history is American food history. During slavery,...