Goes back to the time War of Northern Aggression, Gen Sherman and Reconstruction.
All we were allowed to keep to eat was Black Eyed peas. It was what kept us from starving to death.
“Goes back to the time War of Northern Aggression, Gen Sherman and Reconstruction.”
This is my understanding. Union forces destroyed, or stole, everything they could readily get their hands on.
The South was impoverished for decades. Poor people eat whatever they can easily grow, in this case black eyed peas.
Douse the peas with banana pepper sauce and they taste very good.
A war criminal for sure, but the only thing I found was this,
https://www.history.com/news/hoppin-john-a-new-years-tradition