Al Green And Hot Grits Is Black History As Fuck
By BLACKSTEW EDITORS
(BLACKSTEW) — As the saying goes, "We don’t know where we’re going, if we don’t know where we’ve been. Nothing sets that off for Black folks like the month of February. The celebration of Black culture peaks during Black History Month for the obvious reason: It's founding father Carter G. Woodson said so. Therefore, BLACKSTEW has an obligation to shine a light on the culture shapers and innovators who have contributed to the Blackest moments and movements in Blackness. So join us as we get it poppin' with a little #BLACKSTEWblackhistory for that ass. Today's historical homage is brought to you by the good reverend Al Green and a hot pot of grits.
Albert Leornes Greene has come a long way since being born on a farm in Arkansas, April 13, 1946. He has morphed into the legendary Al Green, the cultural icon whose tight tenor vocals added to the soundtrack of multiple generations. Green’s hits “I’m Still in Love With You,” “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart ,” and “Take Me To The River” are musical staples in playlists predating the digital age. Green’s crooning has the ability to make people do a lil’ two-step while contemplating “Love and Happiness” and crying over a sweet bottle of bourbon. Over the course of his 40-year career, he has won numerous accolades: most notably 11 Grammy awards. His greatness is solidified by several hall of fame inductions, including the Grammy, Gospel and Songwriters.
Just as cemented as Green is in the culture, so, too, is his unfortunate encounter with a pot of hot grits. For all the sexy, soulful gospel wails we love from Green, we’d be remiss if we did not mention the event that contributes to his legend. Enter the lesser-known Mary Woodson. For those who don’t know, Woodson’s violent act of tossing hot grits on Reverend Al is also legend. It’s a Black History moment that gave women a rallying cry when somebody’s trifling son dared to mess with them.
The story of Al Green and Mary Woodson is messy to say the least. Green and Woodson met at a women’s correctional facility in New York, where she was visiting a friend and The Rev was performing a charity concert. In his autobiography, Take Me To The River (Payback Press, $25), Green wrote that Woodson was “the kind of woman that [had] . . . a classy way of carrying herself: statuesque and graceful and proud."
Mary Woodson and Green became a couple. Woodson left her husband and children behind to pursue a life with Green.
Honestly, we get it. We really do.
Al Green was sexy AF...
Because mini Afro and chesticles and shit.
Al Green was sexy as fuck...
Because vocal chords and panty dropper.
Al Green was sexy as fuck...
Because big-lipped, wide-toothed smile and greased chesticles, of course.
Did we mention Al Green was sexy as fuck?
Oh yeah, we did.
Any who, Woodson’s sacrifice, took a tragic turn. According to Green, he invited another woman to stay in his guest bedroom where he lived with Woodson. Did Woodson approve? Can’t say. Did she feel disrespected? Perhaps. Did Woodson decide she wasn’t going out like a chump? Indeed. Woodson cooked for her boyfriend and houseguest, then decided the meal could be put to better use. As Green prepared for a bath woodson burst into the restroom and scalded him with a pot of hot grits. In doing so, she set the good Reverend Al Green on the path to righteousness, and walked herself into Black ass history.
Woodson took her life shortly after her assault on Green. She left behind whatever issues plagued her, and those she had with Green that night. BLACKSTEW doesn’t condone violence, but we do acknowledge it, and Woodson is certainly the embodiment of “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Her actions are still remembered and discussed almost 46 years later. Woodson and that pot of grits are firmly cemented into Black cultural conversation. In 2019, Dr. Cynthia R. Greenlee expanded the conversation and did a deep dive into the phenomenon that grew out of the incident: "A Real Hot Mess: How Grits Got Weaponized Against Cheating Men." And conversations on the topic are still ongoing and have been over the years:
In the words of the honorable soul singer himself, love will "make you do right, love'll make you do wrong." For Woodson love went terribly wrong. May her soul continue to rest in peace, as we remember that it was she who inserted hot grits into pop culture, the psyche of vengeful women and Black history.
Follow us all Black History Month for the blackest history moments ever:
#BLACKSTEWBlackHistory
