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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶
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October 27-28, 2023
Southern Foodways Symposium ⟶

Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Texas BBQ

ORAL HISTORY

May and Horace Archie

Born in 1944, May Archie had a career with the telephone company. When she married Horace Archie in 2002, she joined his church, the New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, famous in Huntsville for running a barbecue restaurant. In 2004, the original operators, Mr. and Mrs. Ward, needed to step down from running the restaurant they had started as a fundraiser more than twenty-five years previously. After learning the secret recipes and practices, Mr. and Mrs. Archie took over the business and have run it ever since.

Two interviews, May and Horace Archie, are featured for this establishment.

Date of interview:
2007-11-30 00:00

Interviewer:
Melanie Haupt

Photographer:
Carly Kocurek

Download Transcript Download Transcript 2

“

"A customer had stopped in some place in North Carolina and it had a sign up that said, “The Second-best Barbecue Place in the United States.” And he ate some of the barbecue and it was very good, so then he asked the man—he said, “Well, if you’re the second-best barbecue place, where’s the first?” And the man told him, “It’s a little place called New Zion Church Barbecue in Huntsville, Texas." - May Archie

"I tell everybody I’ve got the good Lord on my side, so that helps. That helps a lot." - Horace Archie

Other Project Interviews

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Sloan Rinaldi is the owner of Texas Q, a craft BBQ joint located in Kingwood, Texas.

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Christine LeClair is a waitress at the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.

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Taylor Café

Vencil Mares owns the Taylor Cafe in Taylor, Texas.

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Southside Market

For three generations of the Bracewell family, working at “The Market” in Elgin, Texas has just come naturally.

Interview

Smokey Denmark Sausage Co.

Jim McMurtry and his family have owned Smokey Denmark Sausages since 1972.

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Sam’s Barbecue

Waunda Mays has been working at Sam’s Barbecue in East Austin since her father purchased the restaurant in 1978.

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Ruby’s BBQ

Pat Mares is the owner of Ruby’s BBQ in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Pok-E-Jo’s Smokehouse

Danny Haberman is co-owner of Pok-e-Jo's in Austin, Texas.

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Mi Madre’s

Aurelio Torres owns Mi Madre's in Austin, Texas.

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Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse

Gary and Becky Meyer are the third generation owners of Meyer's Elgin Smokehouse in Elgin, Texas.

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Meyer’s Sausage Company

Gregg and Betty Meyer are the second generation owners of Meyer's Sausage Company in Elgin, Texas.

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Louie Mueller Barbecue

Bobby Mueller Louie Mueller's Barbecue in Taylor, Texas.

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Kreuz Market

Rick Schmidt runs his family business, Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas.

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Inman’s Ranch House Bar-B-Q

Billy Inman owns Inman's Ranch House Barbecue in Marble Falls, Texas.

Interview

House Park BAR-B-QUE

Joe Sullivan owns House Park Bar-B-Que in Austin, Texas.

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Graham Land and Cattle Co.

Tyler Graham works at Graham Land and Cattle Company in Gonzales, Texas.

Interview

Gonzales Food Market

Richard Lopez is the third-generation proprietor of the Gonzales Food Market in Gonzales, Texas.

Interview

Forestry Management Service

Ronnie Vinikoff owns Forestry Management Service and supplies post oak and other types of wood to numerous restaurants…

Interview

Dziuk’s Meat Market

Marvin Dziuk owns Dziuk’s Meat Market in Castroville, Texas.

Interview

D. Wiley, Inc.

Don Wiley owns D. Wiley, Inc. a custom-made barbecue pits business.

Interview

Cooper’s Old Time Pit BAR-B-QUE

Terry Wootan has owned Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-Be-Que since 1986 in Llano, TX.

Interview

City Market

Joe Capello has managed City Market in Luling, Texas since 1969.

Interview

Burton Sausage

Jerry Schultz owns and runs Burton Sausage, a company that is part slaughterhouse, part sausage producer.

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Ben’s Long Branch Bar-B-Q

Ben Wash owns Long Branch Restaurant in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Barbecuties

Nikki Dugas owns Barbecuties in Austin, Texas.

Interview

Artz Rib House

Art Blondin owned Artz Rib House.

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The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. We reconsider the past with research, scrutiny, and documentation.

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