Inductees
Media Class
The media class of inductees used their celebrity to shine a light on the history and legacy of Black BBQ.
- Roger Mooking
Roger Mooking brought bbq and grilling to the masses with over 10 seasons of the show Man, Fire, Food as an award winning host and chef. His show Man, Fire, Food was the longest running show on the Cooking Channel and it did more for the barbecue world than any other show, in the modern… - Pat Neely
Pat Neely is one of the earlier black BBQ restaurant business owners that went on to embark on a career as one of America’s favorite celebrity chefs with Food Network’s Down Home with the Neelys. Down Home with the Neelys ran for 13 seasons. Pat Neely was wildly successful in media before social media exploded,… - Joseph Haynes
Joseph Haynes is the author of two books, Virginia’s Barbecue and From Barbycu to Barbecue. His books really illuminated the role of African Americans in Barbecue with significant scholarship and deep analysis, not just surface level research. Joseph Haynes acknowledgement of black people in barbecue should be heralded, even though he is overlooked by many. …
Inaugural Class
Our inaugural class of inductees toiled direct heat pits. They represent barbecue excellence and we will insure they are remembered and appreciated.
- Helen’s Bar-BQ
Helen Turner is the hardest working woman in barbecue. She is a world famous one woman machine and she truly loves the craft. In generally a list of all male pitmasters, Ms. Helen will run circles around them all. She shovel coals under the direct heat pits with the best of the best in the… - Ed Mitchell
Ed Mitchell has inspired pitmasters across the country. When Ed Mitchell started to cook, most of the bbq in the south was prepared by black cooks in white owned establishments. Despite their talent for cooking bbq, Black owned bbq businesses struggled because of racism. Ed, with the help of his family, persevered in the industry… - SugarHill BBQ
Sugarhill BBQ was founded by the grandson of the most well known bbq cook in Clarendon County, SC. James Conyers’ legacy in barbecue goes back to 1910. The family has a rich legacy of cooking pitcooked whole hog barbecue. Location – Manning, SC - Chris Blanding
Chris Blanding is one of Paxville, SC most well known barbecue cooks. He was taught and trained by the legendary Mr. Jack Johnson. Mr. Jack was a community icon in cooking bbq in Clarendon and most elders cite Mr. Jack as one of the greats during his day. It is good to know that Mr…. - Willis Spells
Willis Spells is a barbecue cook in Dorchester, SC. He learned the craft from his father who had people traveling from a far to get his barbecue. While he does not cook barbecue for livelihood, he passed the tradition down to farmer Marvin Ross of Peculiar Pig Farm. Marvin Ross will likely be known more… - Howard (Dean) Conyers
Howard (Dean) Conyers is a BBQ cook in Paxville, SC. He is an all-around bbq cook who is passing his family legacy to Miller Conyers. He runs a catering business with his wife. - Ricky Scott
Ricky Scott is the pitmaster and owner of Hell’s Half Acre. They serve bbq every Thursday in KIngstreet, SC. It is open only one day a week and you should call early in the day to save your order as they only cook a few hogs a day. It is well worth your trip out… - John Nelson
John Nelson is from the Red Hill community. He learned to cook pitcooked whole hog bbq in a hole in the ground. He was educated in one of the counties last remaining church schools– Oak grove. He is an all around cook that prepared barbecue for his church and for events in his community. - Micheal Haynes
Coach Michael Haynes of St. Matthews, SC was the FFA teacher in Manning for over 30 years. For several years, he led the FFA in barbecue multiple hogs for FFA to make the club membership better. He learned how to cook hogs in St. Matthews, SC. FFA changed the number of young people lives in… - James Jones (Jones’ BBQ Diner)
James Jones is the legendary pitmaster that commands the pits to America’s oldest black owned restaurant. Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, is a barbecue joint in Marianna, Arkansas, US, that has been open since at least the 1910s. James H. Jones is the current owner of the iconic spot that has always been family owned. In 2012,… - Hallie Conyers
Hallie Conyers is the proud parent of Dr. Howard Conyers, the founder of the Black BBQ Hall of Fame. Dr. Conyers credits his parents with “teaching him everything they knew about pitcooked whole hog bbq. From raising the animal to cooking the animal in a true farm to table experience”. Hallie taught her son how… - Harrison Conyers
Harrison Conyers is the proud parent of Dr. Howard Conyers, the founder of the Black BBQ Hall of Fame. Dr. Conyers credits his parents with “teaching him everything they knew about pitcooked whole hog bbq. From raising the animal to cooking the animal in a true farm to table experience”. Harrison Conyers stoked his son’s… - The Unknowns
The Unknowns is a placeholder to honor all the deceased and unknown pitmasters. They toiled the earth dug (hole in the ground or long trenches) in the American South from Slavery to Freedom. During slavery, these names were often not recorded and even when the descendants became free, many black cooks went into white owned…
Not Pictured
Tarleton Blackwell
Painter known best for his “Hog Series”
Maple’s BBQ
Whole Hog BBQ in Sumter, SC
Grady’s BBQ
The last black owned whole hog bbq restaurant in North Carolina. Located in Dudley, NC.
Scott’s BBQ
Scott’s Barbecue is an institution in whole hog barbecue. It was founded by Rosie and Roosevelt in 1971. It provided jobs and made Hemingway a well known destination for barbecue. The location was the training ground for legendary Pitmaster Rodney Scott before he exited the family business to launch Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston and beyond.
Patillo’s Barbeque
Patillo’s Barbecue is an old school barbecue spot founded in East Texas in 1912. The restaurant is black owned restaurant, and the 4th oldest barbecue restaurant in the state. Being a multi-generational business in Beaumont, TX is a testament to the family’s grit, determination, and excellence.