Harold's Chicken Raised Me

Harold’s Chicken was founded by some black cat named Harold Pierce. Harold was  from Midway, Alabama like many blacks Harold came to the Midwest or more specifically the Chi for better work opportunities. However, it was obvious Harold was an entrepreneur at heart when he took his chicken recipes and opened his first Harold’s Chicken Shack on the Southside of the Chi in 1950. Now over 50 years later, Harold’s Chicken and Mild Sauce is synonymous with the Chicagoan identity.

I don't remember the first time I ate a six piece from Harold's, I just know now that Harold's chicken is one of the main reasons I go home on break. Six golden brown chicken wings seasoned to the T, bathed in hot and mild sauce. First I like to eat the wings(my mouth is watering like a sum b!tch), then I begin to use my fork and chuck as many fries down my throat as possible(pause). Along with the fries and the chicken you have two slices of bread, some Chicagoans like to make a fry sandwich. This is when you take the fries and bread, and eat it like a mini sandwich. F^ck that. I save the two slices for last and sop up all that leftover mild sauce.(this sh!t is a god d@mn delicacy)

What sets Harold’s chicken apart from everyone else is that they fried and fry their chicken to-order. Most restaurants previously fry their chicken and just sell it accordingly, but it’s nothing like seeing your order being prepared for you when you get there. I'm sure Mary J. Blige would appreciate that. 

♪ Crispy Chicken... Fresh french fries... Mild and Hot Sauce...and two slices of white bread. ♪  

Mild Sauce and fried chicken are the baddest two mothaf^ckas a mouth can experience, when you think of Chicago’s mild sauce you instantly connect it to Harold’s fried chicken. Mild Sauce is a blend of hot sauce, ketchup, barbecue, and other spices. No one even knows who created mild sauce, it’s like one of those hidden city gems, but it tastes no better than what it tastes like on Harold’s Fried Chicken.

Harold represents the entrepreneurial spirit and vision of African-Americans- not to mention black people's innate ability to cook some bomb a$$ chicken(yeah I said it). Personally, Harold's represents everything my community stands for, the ability to take what we love and make it the sh!t. No one can take the cultural capital that we invest in ourselves and our dreams. From Harold's to Fubu, and from cell phones to pyramids, anything is in our grasp; as long as we have the vision.

Here's another good story about the love for Harold's Chicken

Are you from Chicago? What do you like about Harold's? If you're not from the Chi, tell me about the good food or things that represent your city? Tell me about you? Or the things you want to do with your life? 

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