For centuries before will.i.am, Fergie, and company named their band after the humble legume, black-eyed peas were part of the fabric of American history and culture, although in a way that's tied to misery. Specifically, they accompanied slaves from Africa on the journey across the Atlantic Ocean, as they were used as food for the enslaved people both on the ships and once they got to the New World (via Modern Farmer). For centuries, the food was considered the domain of the poor and the enslaved. However, in an example of making something out of nothing, Blacks in America took the black-eyed-pea and made it their own.
At some point – no one is sure how or when – the eating of black-eyed peas became a New Year's Eve tradition, first among the enslaved, then among free Blacks after the Civil War. One theory is that the tradition emerged from the Southern saying, "Eat poor on New Year's and eat fat the rest of the year." As Country Living points out, other foods considered inedible or the domain of the poor/enslaved that were later embraced by Blacks also entered the black-eyed pea tradition. Notably, some versions of the superstition include eating collard greens and/or cornbread along with the legumes.
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