The True King of Wings: John Young’s Legacy and the Forgotten Origin of Buffalo Wings

Breakdown:

This story explores the forgotten history of Buffalo wings, specifically highlighting John Young, an African American innovator from Buffalo, New York, whose creation of the tangy mambo sauce revolutionized the culinary world and made wings an American obsession. Despite his pivotal role in the creation of this iconic dish, Young’s legacy has largely been overshadowed by the Anchor Bar, a restaurant that has wrongly claimed the title of Buffalo wings’ inventor. The narrative takes readers through Young’s journey—from his initial success in the 1960s, through the racial unrest that led to the closure of his restaurant, to his disheartening realization in the 1980s that his creation was now credited to others. It is a powerful story of innovation, discovery, and the erasure of black history in American culture.

1. The Birth of the Buffalo Wing: John Young’s Innovation

John Young’s restaurant, Wings and Things, located on Buffalo’s Eastside, was struggling due to slow business. Young experimented with different sauces to attract customers, eventually creating the tangy mambo sauce that would transform the humble chicken wing into a culinary staple. Once drenched in his special sauce, Young’s breaded chicken wings became a sensation, leading to a surge in business. This marks a significant moment in culinary history, as Young’s innovation took what was considered a cheap cut of chicken and turned it into a beloved dish.

Tangy Mambo Sauce: Young’s invention of the tangy mambo sauce became the key to his success. It wasn’t just a marinade; it was a game-changer that set his wings apart from anything else on the market at the time.
Game Day Staple: With his restaurant’s proximity to the Buffalo Bills stadium, Young’s wings became a game-day tradition, solidifying the dish as a key part of sports culture and ensuring its place in the American culinary lexicon.

2. The Success and Popularity of Wings and Things

Wings and Things became a thriving business on Buffalo’s Black Main Street, where Young’s wings quickly became the cornerstone of the community’s food culture. The restaurant sold up to 5000 lbs of wings a week, at just a nickel each, highlighting how affordable, yet innovative Young’s creation was. This was a period of success and cultural prominence, not just for Young’s restaurant but for the entire neighborhood. The story reveals how Black communities often serve as the birthplaces of cultural and culinary innovations that are later adopted and commercialized by mainstream society.

Community Impact: Wings and Things wasn’t just a business; it was a cultural hub, with Young’s wings providing a unique product that brought people together, making it a key part of the Black community’s identity in Buffalo.

3. The Closing of Wings and Things: Racial Tensions and the Impact of Social Unrest

In the late 1960s, escalating racial tensions and unrest in Buffalo led to the closure of Wings and Things. These tensions, fueled by the broader societal issues of the time, disrupted businesses like Young’s, which had once been a success. The impact of racism and economic instability disproportionately affected Black-owned businesses, forcing Young to leave Buffalo and relocate to Illinois. This segment underscores how social and political unrest often has far-reaching consequences for Black entrepreneurs who already face systemic barriers to success.

The Price of Innovation in a Racially Divided Society: Young’s story exemplifies how Black innovators and entrepreneurs often face racism that leads to unjust erasure of their work, even when their contributions are foundational to American culture.

4. The Disheartening Discovery: The Erasure of John Young’s Legacy

When John Young returned to Buffalo a decade later, he was stunned to learn that his tangy mambo sauce wings had been popularized and claimed by Anchor Bar, a restaurant owned by an Italian family just a mile away from Wings and Things. The Buffalo wings that had originated from Young’s creation were now seen as the invention of Anchor Bar, and their version became the standard. Young, who had once been the true innovator behind this dish, found himself erased from the historical narrative.

Racial Injustice in Culinary Innovation: This moment highlights how racial and cultural dynamics often contribute to the erasure of Black creators from major cultural contributions. Even though Anchor Bar was a regular patron of Young’s restaurant, their claim to the invention of Buffalo wings demonstrates how Black contributions in food and culture are often overlooked or stolen by others.

5. John Young’s Efforts to Reclaim His Legacy

In 1980, John Young spoke out about his creation in an interview with The New Yorker, claiming credit as the true inventor of the Buffalo wing. He expressed his frustration and disappointment at being overlooked and having his creation stolen by others. His story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of recognizing and honoring Black innovation—especially when it comes to culinary arts, a field that often fails to give proper credit to Black chefs and entrepreneurs.

Public Recognition and the Fight for Credit: Young’s effort to reclaim his legacy was crucial not only for him personally but also for the larger conversation about Black historical contributions being recognized. It speaks to the broader issue of cultural appropriation and the importance of giving credit where it’s due.

6. The Commercialization of Buffalo Wings: Mainstream Success and the Loss of Originality

As the 1980s progressed, the Buffalo wing gained massive popularity nationwide, particularly with the rise of Buffalo Wild Wings and similar chains. While these restaurants helped spread the dish’s popularity, they also contributed to the distortion and commercialization of the original recipe. The wings were now being served with a range of sauces, and the once unique, breaded mambo sauce wings were no longer the standard.

Cultural Commodification: This part of the story underscores how mainstream culture often takes cultural innovations from marginalized communities and commercializes them without honoring the original creators. It’s a commentary on how cultural capital is often extracted from Black communities without recognition or compensation.

7. Buffalo’s Black Main Street Remembers the True King of Wings

While Anchor Bar may have gained worldwide recognition for Buffalo wings, Buffalo’s Black Main Street continues to remember John Young as the true innovator. His contribution to American food culture is celebrated by those who remember where the dish truly came from—from the creativity of a Black businessman in Buffalo.

Local Memory vs. National Narrative: This part of the story highlights the importance of local history and community memory in preserving the truth about cultural origins. It’s a reminder that national narratives often overlook the contributions of marginalized groups, but local communities are the ones who continue to hold the true stories.

Analysis:

This story provides a powerful reflection on the dynamics of cultural appropriation, historical erasure, and the systemic challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs. John Young’s creation of the Buffalo wing is a brilliant example of innovative thinking that transformed a cheap, overlooked food item into a nationwide cultural phenomenon. However, his story also reveals the tragic realities of racism, where Black innovators often do not receive the recognition they deserve. Young’s journey serves as a metaphor for countless Black creators whose contributions have been co-opted or ignored by those with more privilege and power in society.

In the end, the story of John Young’s wings is about the broader issues of visibility, credit, and respect in American society. It’s a call for all of us to acknowledge the roots of what we consume and to give credit where it’s due, especially to those whose contributions have been silenced or misattributed for far too long.

Conclusion:

John Young’s creation of the Buffalo wing was a transformative moment in culinary history, but his legacy has been overshadowed by corporate interests and racial inequality. His story is a testament to the importance of self-recognition and community preservation, reminding us that the true history of cultural innovations should never be forgotten, especially when it comes to Black contributions to American culture.