stereotypical foods associated with black Americans
It was a money thing. Poor people ate chicken, rich people ate beef or pork. It didn't just start with slaves, the frying method is literally Scottish in origin, which is why hillbillies were doing it too.
The insulting part was in ministrel shows, it was portrayed as "a taste of the highlife".
That they were excited for something hillbillies considered normal food. And most people looked down on hillbillies.
There's nothing wrong with fried chicken and watermelon. It's that for a serious event, they're having fried chicken and watermelon.
Like, imagine you have a big event, and that's what there is. Regardless of how much you like it, there's gonna be a pause.
That being said, I'm white, and fried chicken was literally the main course at every family event including weddings growing up. But that's because my family is all hillbillies. That's just what we do. We sure as shit didn't have someone cook it for us that didn't know how, it's one thing when the recipe is 200 years old and the same that your family has always been eating.
Not to mention the most important part of a chicken fry is everyone getting together. My family bitched and fought all the time. But if chicken was being fried it was like an elite military operation.
So getting a plate of bland fried chicken and unsalted watermelon just strips every good part of the tradition away, while reminding you that you could be celebrating.