Photo Courtesy: Nissa Phillip
Tradition is a huge part of the culture at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). One weekly staple on the Florida A&M University campus is fried chicken Wednesday. During lunch on Wednesdays, students are served collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and of course, fried chicken.
Nikiyah Brown, a second-year psychology scholar, is passionate about the long-standing tradition.
“Fried Chicken Wednesday is the epitome of an HBCU, and it is part of why I chose to come to FAMU,” Brown said. “The experience is what you make it because the food can be hit or miss.”
Saniya Hart, a first-year chemistry scholar, expresses mixed feelings about the weekly meal choice, specifically the lack of variation.
“It is a great tradition and time to bond,” Hart said, “but it can get repetitive.”
Overall, students seem to enjoy the time set aside to come together. Isaiah Ebanks, a first-year business administration scholar, says he never misses a fried chicken Wednesday.
“The community comes together to enjoy a meal that runs deep in our heritage,” Ebanks said, “it feels like home, family, and fellowship.”
Top Café, The Hub, and the Presidential Dining Room are three on-campus dining locations where students can enjoy fried chicken Wednesday. Each location has a similar menu; however, students seem pretty divided on which location has the best dining experience.
The Hub is the dining location closest to the Towers North and South residential areas. Hart prefers to spend her Wednesdays on this side of campus before her classes start.
“I pick The Hub every time. The food is always great, and the vibes are right,” Hart said.
Top Café is located on the top floor of the student center, near Polkinghorne Village dormitories. Brown believes that more students should choose this dining location.
“Hands down, the best place to enjoy fried chicken Wednesday is at Top café,” Brown said, “I would encourage everyone to go out and meet someone new.”
Another staple of HBCU culture is dressing up for campus events. Ebanks notes that this includes a Wednesday café run about more than just the food.
“Top Café is the only spot,” Ebanks said, “you know people are coming drip or drown; we show up and show out.”
Two things that are sure to bring people together, especially at an HBCU, are food and traditions. Every Wednesday around 11, the two come together. So whether you prefer the Café, PDR, or the Hub, we all have one thing in common: we are FAMU students and love fried chicken Wednesday!