Why is less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. owned by Black people?
An acclaimed writer and activist explores the impact of land theft
and violent displacement on racial wealth gaps, arguing that justice
stems from the literal roots of the earth.
To understand the contemporary racial
wealth gap, we must first unpack the historic attacks on Indigenous
and Black land ownership. From the moment that colonizers set foot on
Virginian soil, a centuries-long war was waged, resulting in an
existential dilemma: Who owns what on stolen land? Who owns what with
stolen labor? To answer these questions, we must confront one of this
nation’s first sins: stealing, hoarding, and commodifying the land.
Research suggests that between 1910 and
1997, Black Americans lost about 90% of their farmland. Land theft
widened the racial wealth gap, privatized natural resources, and
created a permanent barrier to access that should be a birthright for
Black and Indigenous communities. Rooted traces the
experiences of Brea Baker’s family history of devastating land loss
in Kentucky and North Carolina, identifying such violence as the root
of persistent inequality in this country. Ultimately, her
grandparents’ commitment to Black land ownership resulted in the
Bakers Acres—a haven for the family where they are sustained by the
land, surrounded by love, and wholly free.
A testament to the Black farmers who
dreamed of feeding, housing, and tending to their communities, Rooted
bears witness to their commitment to freedom and reciprocal care for
the land. By returning equity to a dispossessed people, we can heal
both the land and our nation’s soul.