For many traditional minded Southerners, New Year’s day might include the most important meal of the year. That meal has been called by many names, including Hoppin’ John, ‘beans and greens’, or collards and black eyed peas.
Folklore tells us that the traditional Southern New Year’s Day meal sets the economic tone for the year! The origin of that tradition dates back to the War Between the States, often called ‘The War’ or the ‘Late unpleasantness’, often misnamed the Civil War.
Author Ron Perrin of Fort Worth, Texas, relates the story in his “History of the Black Eyed Pea Tradition” essay. Perrin says:
“The Real Story is much more interesting and has gone untold in fear that feelings would be hurt. It’s a story of war, the most brutal and bloody war, military might and power pushed upon civilians, women, children and elderly. Never seen as a war crime, this was the policy of the greatest nation on earth trying to maintain that status at all costs. An unhealed wound remains in the hearts of some people of the southern states even today; on the other hand, the policy of slavery has been an open wound that has also been slow to heal but is okay to talk about.
The story of THE BLACK EYED PEA being considered good luck relates directly back to Sherman’s Bloody March to the Sea in late 1864. It was called The Savannah Campaign and was lead by Major General William T. Sherman. The Civil War campaign began on 11/15/64 when Sherman ‘s troops marched from the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia, and ended at the port of Savannah on 12/22/1864.
When the smoke cleared, the southerners who had survived the onslaught came out of hiding. They found that the blue belly aggressors had looted and stolen everything of value and everything you could eat, including all livestock. Death and destruction were everywhere. While in hiding, few had enough to eat, and starvation was now upon the survivors.
There was no international aid and no Red Cross meal trucks. The Northern army had taken everything they
could carry and eaten everything they could eat. But they couldn’t take it all. The devastated people of the south found for some unknown reason that Sherman ’s bloodthirsty troops had left silos full of black eyed peas.
At that time in the north, the lowly black eyed pea was only used to feed stock. The northern troops saw it as the thing of least value. Taking grain for their horses and livestock and other crops to feed themselves, they just couldn’t take everything. So they left the black eyed peas in great quantities assuming it would be of no use to the survivors, since all the livestock it could feed had either been taken or eaten.
Southerners awoke to face a new year in this devastation and were facing massive starvation if not for the good luck of having the black eyed peas to eat. From New Years Day 1866 forward, the tradition grew to eat black eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck.”
could carry and eaten everything they could eat. But they couldn’t take it all. The devastated people of the south found for some unknown reason that Sherman ’s bloodthirsty troops had left silos full of black eyed peas.
Jim Denison, another Texan, relates a similar story of the origin of ‘Beans and Greens’ for New Years Day. Denison says:
“The tradition of eating black-eyed peas and greens in some form (either turnip, collard or a mix – a “mess” of greens, as we Southerners call them) on New Year’s day is so pervasive throughout the Southeast that black-eyed peas appear in recipes as varied as Cowboy Caviar in Texas to Hoppin’ John in Alabama to Peas with Ham up in North Carolina.
According to legendary Southern food researcher …John Egerton’s Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History, black-eyed peas are associated with a “mystical and mythical power to bring good luck.” As for greens, they’re green like money and will ensure you a financially prosperous new year. And isn’t that all what we want anyway?
If you serve peas with cornbread, it represents gold, and if they are stewed with tomatoes, it symbolizes wealth and health.
This Southern tradition arose during the War Between the States, when William T. Sherman’s troops swept through the countryside, confiscating and/or destroying crops and livestock. Southerners who weren’t off fighting were left with precious little, save for peas and greens. You see, Union soldiers considered “field peas” and greens to be fit only for animal fodder. These dishes became cherished and appreciated by Southerners as what saved many a family from starvation during those times and the tradition was born of celebrating these dishes on the new year.”
Collard Greens on New Year’s Day
The folklore in the South said if you want to make money in the new year you had to eat collard greens and cornbread on New Year’s Day. That was to ensure that money will be in your future! I’m sure the tradition came 
from many of our ancestors who were suffering from the ravages of war, and had a hope for better things in the future trying to instill in their children to get the vision for better times and to eat what was before them.
Regardless the source, folk across the country have adopted a Southern tradition that became part of our culture from hard times caused by a ravaging army. Southerners are resilient, resourceful and don’t get rolled over too often, so we adapted and made a bad situation better. Now even Sherman’s kin probably eat what was left for fodder.
Collard greens (turnip greens, spinach, kale, etc) are the green of choice in the South because it’s very available in the late fall. These greens substitute for cabbage of ancient days when Caesar and Aristotle consumed it for health reasons. Southern tradition holds in many locales that each bite of greens you eat is worth $1,000 in the upcoming year. Make sure you eat lots of greens.
Corn bray’
Cornbread and black-eyed peas represent pocket money or spending money. This combination is often called “soul food”. It’s good for heart and soul, even pocketbook so they say, if eaten on New Year’s. The tradition stems from the color of the bread and the number of peas. The golden color of the cornbread represented “gold” money or “coin” money. Southerners all eat cornbread with collard greens and black-eyed pea!
I don’t know about you, but I plan to eat plenty of greens, beans and cornbread. And to think, I’ll be building up a small fortune on New Year’s Day just by eating our Southern tradition! Ummm good! Y’all come back now, ya hear?
Michael Reed was born and raised in S.C., and has additionally enjoyed Southern culture in Texas and Virginia. He is Editor and Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online, and TheStandardSC YouTube channel where many video reports may be found. Please share freely and donate to The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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