Janie Johnson - On food, family, and growing up in Carrboro

Food takes center stage for Janie Johnson. In this interview, she describes in vivid imagery, along with accompanying envisioned smells, the kitchens of her mother and grandmother and all the food that came out of them. Several times, Ms. Johnson mentions how the sassafras tea that her grandmother made would soothe the nerves and serve as a home remedy She also describes a motley of cobblers her family made, including: strawberry, blackberry, peach, pear, and sweet potato. Over the course of the entire interview, Ms. Johnson remarks about the evolution of phrases such as “soup pots” to “stock pots” and “in the blood” to “in the DNA.” Other food discussed includes biscuits, fresh pork, chicken and dumplings, coleslaw, and black eye peas.
Ms. Johnson also makes mention of her family and childhood growing up on Lloyd St. in Carrboro, NC. She attended Northside and went to First Baptist Church with the reverend Dr. J.R. Manley at the time. She also discusses black owned business of the time (1960s). Ms. Johnson also goes on to talk about her career working for UNC in various capacities such as in undergraduate admissions, a data entry operator, and accounting clerk at Lineberger Cancer Research Center.