Bean Pie

If you drive through the right parts of South Los Angeles, walk certain stretches of Brooklyn, or spend time on particular corners in the South Side of Chicago, you might encounter clusters of men in dark suits on the corner, proffering bean pie to pedestrians and drivers passing by. There’s a jovial nature to their business, and pies often come with a newspaper circulated by the Nation of Islam and a good-natured, “Bean pie, my brother?”

It’s a practice that stretches back decades, a tradition imprinted on generations of Nation of Islam members. For many, selling bean pie on the street is like a rite of passage. In fact, it’s almost secondary that the bean pie is delicious (though it is—creamy, rich, and sweet, like a better, much more complex sweet potato or custard pie. And no … just because it’s made from beans does not mean it tastes like dinner; consider the many sweet bean desserts in East Asian cuisine). The origins of the pie itself, the money it raises, the people who have made it and eaten it—all make it much more than just a curious dessert.