A Sweet Treat For Bitter Times
By: Kadiatou Barry
Playlist
An image showing a vintage tin of “Our Mother’s Pure Cocoa Powder”
Source: Unknown
When I started looking through the archive, I expected to find different HistoryMakers discussing chocolate and different recipes they could remember of this well-loved treat. While many of the videos did include that, upon arriving at two particular videos on chocolate AND the Great Depression, I noticed a larger thematic occurrence: chocolate has served as a comforting treat for many living in poverty and difficult times.
Interestingly enough, chocolate’s origins trace back to ancient Mesoamerican civilization, where it was consumed as a bitter, ceremonial beverage used for sacred or medicinal purposes. When it was later introduced in Europe, chocolate became associated with luxury accessible to only the elite aristocrats. Fast forward to World War I, chocolate was included in soldier rations across Europe as both a source of quick energy and a morale booster. After the war, the U.S. saw a candy boom, with more than 30,000 different candy bars being produced across the country. During the Great Depression, chocolate’s role shifted once again, this time becoming a meal replacement. This was an affordable, calorie-dense alternative that was easy to find and it was a vital source of energy for many struggling to get by. Through the HistoryMakers, I discovered firsthandaccounts of how chocolate provided more than just comfort , it was often a fill-in for food.
Source: National Museum of American History-Smithsonian Institute
Dr. Rachel Keith, a former Detroit physician, recalls her childhood growing up during the Great Depression.
“But I remember well the Great Depression. I remember standing in soup lines and breadlines with my father, and oftentimes I was hungry. I remember one time there was nothing in the house but oranges and hot chocolate. And I was so hungry that I just kept on eating and kept on eating until I was literally sick.”
Paul Wilbur Stewart, a curator who created the largest collection of Black cowboys and other African Americans in the American West, went on to discuss his father’s occupation during the Great Depression.
“My dad had hauled for Marcusi and he--my dad also hauled for Lagomarcino [Davenport, Iowa], a group company. It was, it was a group--it was a produce company….and they would have different candies, chocolates and all. So, my dad when they would take this, this--these boxes and they'd tear it open they'd see one of the bars was white then the whole box--they said, ("All right Gene [Eugene Stewart, Sr.], put those over there and you could--and drop them off at the dump,”) He load them up into, he had, you know, like a little garage, and so when he get those instead of taking 'em to the dump he'd put in, put 'em there. And so, he'd go in the place and the guy said, "Boy, I wish I could get more of this chocolate." He said, ("Boy--," people would buy, they take put an almond in it, a pecan in it and sell it for a dollar and a half a pound. So, my dad would go into the shed, and pull out about eight boxes, two dollars a box, he'd sell it to him. That's a lot of time–money in during the Depression, see. ”
Roz Abrams discusses her mom and chocolate being a widely available food during her mother’s childhood.
“My grandmother never worked. She stayed at home and took care of kids during the Depression. And they would get things like sugar, butter, and cheese from the federal government. And so my mother growing up ate a lot of fudge because they'd throw a little chocolate in. She ate a lot of cheese because it was free.”
In these three accounts, chocolate served different purposes: a meal replacement, an economic opportunity, and a dessert made from government rations. Yet one pattern remains consistent: chocolate was a source of nourishment, joy, and survival.
Children playing together during the Great Depression
Source: All that’s Interesting
For the second half of my research, I decided to expand my focus beyond the Great Depression to examine chocolate’s role in the lives of HistoryMakers who grew up in poverty in later decades. Once again, I saw the pattern of chocolate remaining a comfort treat tied to resilience and joy.
Lois Conley, founder of The Griot Museum of Black History and Culture, recounts her childhood memories.
“We'd go knock on doors and everybody would show up outside and make snowmen and have snowball fights and make hot chocolate and share. It was a time when we were all, I think, very poor, but none of us realized it.”
Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Randall Pickson talks about his family’s meals, diet, and what they could afford.
“Christmas time was chocolate cakes and coconut cakes. And, ah, and when she felt like it, pecan pies and lemon meringue, or when we could afford it, 'cause, you know, those were not exactly inexpensive desserts to make.”
Entrepreneur Tina Lewis describes her favorite childhood memories.
“I didn't know we were poor because my parents were very loving and nurturing, and I knew that I was loved, and I never really realized that I was deprived. I mean, we didn't have a television set, oh gosh, for, for several years. And it wasn't until I, you know, saw on television how people lived that I realized that there were certain things that I didn't have. But at Christmas I would get a doll, and I might get one other toy, and that would be my Christmas. But that would be my fondest memory, and of course, my mother [Mary LeDuff Ricard] would bake. At our birthdays she would bake a special birthday cake just for us. And she would bake my favorite cake, which was a chocolate layer cake with bananas in, you know, a filling.”
The stories told by separate HistoryMakers highlight how chocolate, even in times of poverty, represented more than just indulgence. It becomes a symbol of love, marked celebrations, and built cherished memories. These recollections show that chocolate offered more than flavor. It serves as a reminder that whether in a warm cup, a festive cake, or a lovingly made birthday dessert, chocolate was a small but powerful source of emotional nourishment.
Chocolate has evolved from an old ceremonial beverage to a comfort food in the modern day, but its function in difficult times has remained fairly constant. Whether it was a meal replacement during the Great Depression, a source of extra income, or a homemade birthday cake in a struggling household, chocolate is a touchstone for resilience, creativity, and care.
Experiences from the HistoryMakers demonstrate how minor luxuries may have profound significance, even during the most trying times. Chocolate was never just candy: it was survival, celebration, and love wrapped in something sweet.
An old Hershey’s bar advertisement
Source: Hershey Community Archive
Sources
Dr. Rachel Keith (The HistoryMakers A2005.023), interviewed by Larry Crowe, January 21, 2005, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 2, story 4, Dr. Rachel Keith remembers the Great Depression
Lois Conley (The HistoryMakers A2007.299), interviewed by Larry Crowe, October 19, 2007, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 12, Lois Conley describes the sights, sounds and smells of her childhood
Paul W. Stewart (The HistoryMakers A2008.127), interviewed by Denise Gines, November 6, 2008, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 4, story 1, Paul Stewart remembers his father's side businesses, pt. 1
Randall Pinkston (The HistoryMakers A2014.145), interviewed by Julieanna L. Richardson, August 25, 2014, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 13, Randall Pinkston describes his family's meals and diet
Roz Abrams (The HistoryMakers A2014.044), interviewed by Julieanna L. Richardson, March 17, 2014, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 3, Roz Abrams talks about her mother, Esther Caldwell Abrams