Collard greens date back to prehistoric times, and are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. Collards are also known as tree cabbage or non-heading cabbage, are a cool-season vegetable and extremely nutritious -- rich in vitamins and minerals that help prevent and fight disease.
Greens originated in the eastern Mediterranean, but it wasn't until the first Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1600s that America got its first taste of the dark green leafy vegetable. Greens were just one of a few select vegetables African-Americans were allowed to grow and harvest for themselves and their families throughout times of slavery, and so over the years cooked greens developed into a traditional food. Even after the Africans were emancipated in the late 1800s, their love of greens continued, and they kept handing down their well developed repertoire of greens recipes from one generation to the next.
Though greens did not originate in Africa, the habit of eating greens that have been cooked down into a low gravy, and drinking the juices from the greens (known as "pot likker") is of African origin. Pot likker is quite nutritious and delicious, and contributes to the comfort-food aspects of the dish.
Today, many varieties of greens -- collards, mustard, turnips, chard, spinach, kale -- continue to be a traditional offering at potlucks, picnics, parties and family dinners, and are a staple in African-American culture.
And these days chefs of many ethnicities have also discovered greens, and have eagerly added them to a variety of trendy restaurant dishes, garnering interest from diners who might not have been exposed to cooked greens before. Home cooks are buying an increasing amount of greens, as well, as they attempt to combine good flavor with the nutrition they know their families need.