Fourteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Lifelong residents of Albion argue that in their childhoods, “everyone had gardens.” Today food insecurity and food apartheid plague many residents in this multi-racial, postindustrial town in southern Michigan despite ample land and a climate that makes this region a major source for a diversity of crops. Using oral histories and archival research, this paper examines how food accessibility and self-sufficiency changed between the 1950’s and today. A central question asks what lessons Albion’s food history holds for today’s food activists and organizations who are searching for solutions that promote food sovereignty, better health, and great access to nutritious food for its communities. How can knowledge of past practices ensure that this town prepares for a healthier future through innovative public policies, youth programming and other community-wide efforts?