The Black, sometimes referred to as the Black Spanish or the Norfolk Black, is a breed of domestic turkey. The Black was developed in Europe from the first turkeys brought there from North America by explorers. Despite the monikers of “Spanish and “Norfolk” (England), birds of this type are to be found in many European nations. Originally, black colored turkeys were a relative rarity among New World flocks, but Europeans heavily selected for this trait until it became dominant.[1]
Black turkeys were also present in the holds of ships making the transatlantic crossing from Europe back to the New World, and were raised by early colonists. Ironically, it is likely that the turkey consumed at the first Thanksgiving meal may have actually been from European birds, rather than Wild Turkeys native to the continent, although these were descendents from said bird.[2]
Later, Blacks were crossed with the Wild Turkey to help produce breeds such as the Bronze, Narragansett, and Slate. They continued to be a commercially farmed variety in the U.S. until the early 20th century, but fell out of favor after the development of the Broad Breasted Bronze and Broad Breasted White. Fairly common in Europe, they are considered to be an endangered variety of heritage turkey today by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy,[3] and are also included in Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, a catalog of heritage foods in danger of extinction.[4]