Today is a special day of gratitude and communion for Black families and friends across the country. Juneteenth is one of the oldest holidays in U.S. history, and is now finally recognized as a federal holiday since 2021.
As people fire up their barbecue grills and set the tables to feast, there is one common item that you can’t not have — and thanks to a Black man we can all enjoy it.
Did you know a Black man invented the potato chip?
That’s right, the world’s most famous crunchy and crispy snack (or appetizer) the potato chip (or crisp as they refer to it on the other side of the pond) was invented by a Black man of mixed African American and Native American ancestry. We can thank George Speck for the must-have snack. Speck, who also went by the name of George Crum’s when he used his father’s surname while he was a jockey, was born July 15, 1824 in Saratoga County, New York. By the age of 29, Speck was know for his renowned culinary skills after being hired in 1853 at Moon Lake House, a high-end restaurant in Saratoga Lake, in Saratoga springs New York. His specialties included wild meats, including deer and duck. By 1860, Speck left Moon’s and opened his own restaurant called Crum’s, on Storey Hill in Malta, New York. Within a few years his reputation spread and his establishment gained popularity among the wealthy and tourists. His cuisines were also in high demand.
Speck’s restaurant prices were said to be that of a fine dining experience that often catered to the elites. This possibly soon came into play later, giving way to the potato chip.
Who invented the potato chip isn’t contested, but there are two different stories on how the chip was actually invented.
Legend has it that a disgruntled customer rumored to be Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the richest men of his era who often visited Moon Lake House, and during one of his visits sent back his fried potatoes suggesting that they were not crisp enough. Upset by the criticism, Speck allegedly shaved the potato paper thin and fried them. Surprisingly, the customer loved them. Soon enough, Crum and Moon’s Lake House became well known for their Saratoga chips and the rest is history — if that version of the story behind potato chips is to be believed. A similar story behind the inventor of the potato chip was that Speck’s sister was the contributor to this happy accident. Kate Wicks, Speck’s sister, who also worked at Moon’s, accidentally dropped a thin chip of potato into the fryer, and George fished it out the fryer. After tasting it, Speck enjoyed it so much he added it to his restaurant menu. This story has been the most widely-accepted behind the origins of the potato chip.
In Wicks’ obituary, published in The Saratogian in 1924, it read “A sister of George Crum, Mrs. Catherine Wicks, died at the age of 102, and was the cook at Moon’s Lake House. She first invented and fried the famous Saratoga Chips.” This statement is supported by Wicks’ own recollections of the tale, which were published in several periodicals during her lifetime.
Either way, the invention was a hit and an invention contributed to one (or two) Blacks.
Speck’s chips remained a local delicacy until the 1920s when a salesman and entrepreneur named Herman Lay, founder of Lay’s chips, began traveling throughout the south and introducing potato chips to different communities. At that point, Speck’s legacy was overtaken by the mass production and distribution of potato chips on a national scale. Speck’s restaurant closed around 1890, and Speck lived a long life till his death in 1914 at the age of 92.
So remember, every time a person crunches into a potato chip, any potato chip, whether it be Hot Cheeto’s, Ruffles, Kettle chips, and especially Lays, he or she is enjoying one of the world’s most famous and delicious snacks made from the contribution of a chief and inventor who was a Black man (and woman).
Enjoy.
Falisha McGee is a Contributing Editor covering health and entertainment for BLK News Now! She is an activist and blogger who is passionate about the progress of Black Americans. She is also an avid supporter of Black women’s health and well-being. She can be reached at Falisha@BLKNewsNow.com.