Local barbecue entrepreneur Eddie Wright has been selected to receive a $7,500 grant from Kingsford®, announced today as part of the charcoal maker’s inaugural Preserve the Pit™ program.

This grant can be used at the applicant’s discretion to continue preserving the culture and history of Black barbecue in America and fueling its future.

Wright was chosen as one of ten recipients to receive the stipend over and above three larger winners who will take part in an intensive fellowship.

“I am excited to share that I’ve been selected for a Kingsford Preserve the Pit grant,” Wright said via Facebook. “Thank you Kingsford. I’m very humbled to be accepted!”

Wright runs a bbq catering and food truck business in JXNMS and often takes advance orders via email and Facebook. He also posts videos to his YouTube channel chronicling the build-out of his business.

Kingsford launched Preserve the Pit in January and received nearly 1,000 applications. Winners were selected by a panel on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, their connection to barbecue, contributions to the legacy of the Black barbecue community and commitments to fueling its future.  

“We are blown away by the interest in Preserve the Pit and the passion that was conveyed by applicants for strengthening the Black barbecue community,” said Shaunte Mears-Watkins, vice president of strategy and marketing for Kingsford.

To learn more about Preserve the Pit, visit PreserveThePit.com.