Not easy to determine the racial identity of those that grew the plants, since it was the Native Americans first and then lots of things are adopted right away by foreign settlers. That was what you had to do back then right away or be forced to hunt because your seed stock hasn't adapted yet. The area was Native American Indian occupied up until the 16th century when the Spanish arrived. French arrived in the 17th century. And around 1720 they began importing black Creoles from the Carribeans in to Biloxi. So not much in Mississippi was predominantly a black thing back THEN.
But anyway, I've found cowpeas are great. Red Ripper cowpea, for a traditional cowpea. But a more productive cowpea is one from Asia called the Chinese Noodle Bean. Both the red and green have been leaping out of the ground here in june and july near the gulf coast. China is hot and humid. Similar.
When it comes to Maize; I had the best
experience with Black Aztec. And specifically the seed stock I had, it had the Oloton rootslime trait from Sierra Mixe Mexico. Not sure if Black aztec is just one of the 40 known varieties to exhibit the trait, or if my seedstock isn't pure. Either way- in the heat, high humidity, and rainfall of South Mississippi, that slime comes out. Usually during or after a rainstorm. And in it, they say tends to live a nitrogen-fixing bacteria granting the plant access to nitrogen in an ionic form.
Squash. In Mississippi, there tends to be a lot of vine borers around. If the race you have doesn't have a dense vine it'll probably be bored in to.
The Cushaw Squash is resistant and was grown by the native americans, they say.
I'm sure black people grew it too. So if that's the prerequisite for your garden, there you go.
I have several going right now in late July and they're doing very well.
Moschata squash do well too, in terms of vine borers. Thin and dense vine.
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