What We’re Reading Vol. 1
It’s been awhile, but we’re back with a list of books. These works have not only inspired us but opened our eyes to what it means to be Black in nature - farming in particular. As always, you can check these out at your local library, purchase from a (local) bookstore, or borrow from a friend.
Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement by Monica M. White
Freedom Farmers is the catalyst for our continuing research and documentation of Black southern cooperatives particularly in Louisiana. The history of farming is often viewed as violently oppressive and exploitative. This book puts into focus the importance of southern agriculture to the Civil Rights Movement. Freedom Farmers explores how agriculture and farming was and still is an act of resistance. Monica M. White provides the historical foundation for the current food justice/sovereignty movements in urban spaces.
Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney
You may have seen Black Faces, White Spaces on our February Black in Nature posts. We stumbled upon this book during a Google search of Black environmentalists. Finney dives deep into why Black people are underrepresented in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism. From a historical lens, Black Faces argues the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence shaped the way in which the “great outdoors” is perceived. This perception further dictates who should and can have access to nature.
Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman
Farming While Black not only explores Black agricultural history and current food injustices, it provides a framework for developing your own farm liberation. Penniman offers a well-thought out guide for small-scale farming. Using transparent examples from Soul Fire Farm and historical inspiration and insight readers will be able to develop their own farming communities. Both historical and tactical this book illustrates the realities of what it means to be Black in farming.
Homegrown: The Story of African-American Farmers by Charlene Gilbert & Quinn Eli
Another book in our February Black in Nature posts, Homegrown found us during a library search on Black agricultural history. Gilbert’s work uncovers the truths left out of history books. Homegrown tells the story of Gilbert’s family’s Georgia farming roots and the history of 20th century Southern Black farmers. The book focuses heavily on Georgia’s agricultural history, but similar histories can be found throughout the South. Learn how racism, discrimination, violence, and redlining caused (and still causes) the decline in Black farming.
