Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 3, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 3, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.3.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Continuing Black History Month Series


Today's Person of the Day:
SYLVIA WOODS -- Owner of Sylvia's Restaurant


Ms. Sylvia is a Harlem staple, and many people know about her restaurant, the food and maybe the newer location that opened in Atlanta in the late 1990s. 


Biography borrowed from Wikipedia:


Woods then bought her own restaurant in 1962; the restaurant could seat up to 35 people. During the early 1990’s the business expanded and now seats up to 450 people and also has a catering business. Organized and started by her son Van in 1992, Sylvia came out with her own line of soul food products that are sold nationally. Woods products include many of her special sauces, vegetables, spices, syrup, and cornbread and pancake mixes. Woods has 2 famous cook books one is called Sylvia’s Soul Food Cookbook which was published in 1992, and Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook which was published in 1999 both by William Morrow and Company. Woods opened her second restaurant on Central Ave in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997.
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Personally, I grew up on soul food cooked by women Ms. Sylvia's age. And as I got older, I ate quite a bit of cocina criolla (native Puerto Rican cuisine -- the "soul food" of the Puerto Rican community if you will), so while I support any entrepreneur, especially one who can cut it in Harlem for almost 50 years, I don't go crazy for soul food anymore. But I will say this, the example she set as a Black woman, running her own restaurant HER OWN WAY and maintaining it for this many years is worthy of respect and adulation. Throughout the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s, Sylvia's prospered, and became a destination for both Harlemites and out of town visitors. 


While there are tons of other venues to eat such cuisine in Harlem nowadays (Amy Ruth's, Manna's, Spoonbread Too, Londel's Charles' Southern Style -- to  name a few), Sylvia's set the tone. And Ms. Sylvia is an excellent example for anyone to follow, whether it is a young Black woman who wants to own a restaurant, or anyone who could stand to learn a lesson in perseverance and sticktuitiveness. 


DISCUSS>>>