First, Mexicans from just over the border brought tamales to the fertile Mississippi Delta. African-Americans soon realized the Mexicans had a good thing going in these little, corn-husk-wrapped magical meat pies.
And, sure enough, area whites realized the masa miracles weren’t just for people of color anymore. And that’s why Mississippi loves tamales.
Yes, we know proper Spanish means it is one tamal, two tamales. But we’re not proper Spanish speakers or proper anything, actually.