As protests sweep the world, from Libya to Wisconsin, we contemporary observers of all things food-related can't help but wonder, what are all these hearty, energetic protesters having to eat? I'm a native Wisconsinite, and I was touched by this news story about how a local pizza joint in Wisconsin's capital has distributed thousands of slices of pizza to pro-union protesters, donated by folks in 38 states and more than 10 foreign countries (including - of course - Egypt). Ordering pizzas for protesters isn't just a heart-warming random act of kindness, it's an extremely valuable way to support and show solidarity for activists, some of whom have been standing at the state capital for two weeks. (This photo is from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)The tradition of showing political support through food is decades old. The NPR podcast Hidden Kitchens (which I very much recommend) has a great story about one of the unsung heros of the Civil Rights Movement, a woman named Georgia Gilmore. Gilmore, who lost her job when her employers discovered her involvement in the Montgomery bus boycott, set up a restaurant in her own home, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's suggestion. Her home, which was just a few blocks away from Dr. King's home, became a safe haven for activists and was used as the site of many secret meetings - Kennedy and Johnson both visited her home to meet with the movement's leaders, over a meal of Gilmore's homemade fried chicken. Gilmore also founded the Club from Nowhere, an association of women who sold pies and cakes to support the bus boycott. Her heroism, and the generosity of her pizza-donating contemporaries, enable such revolutionary movements to continue.
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