The Cornucopia Institute stands in solidarity with Black people and those organizations that condemn racism. Black Lives Matter.
Institutional racism is woven into the story of our nation, into the story of agriculture. Oppression, discrimination, and violence underpin farming for profit in the United States.
The wisdom of Black farmers is foundational to organic farming. Leah Penniman, author of “Farming While Black, Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land,” reminds us that African-Indigenous farmers pioneered farming systems that prioritize the health of people and the earth. Penniman writes about her own realization that “‘organic farming’ was an African-indigenous system developed over millennia and first revived in the United States by a Black farmer, Dr. George Washington Carver, of Tuskegee University in the early 1900s.”
“Farming While Black” is an excellent resource, and has informed learning and self-exploration in our internal anti-racism study group formed earlier this year. As an organization, we are called to listen. We invite you to share stories and resources as we continue our own anti-racism journey. Learning and unlearning will guide our path forward.
BUY: Farming While Black
READ, WATCH, and LISTEN:
- FoodPrint’s issue on Food Justice
- Video: Why are All the Black Farmers Vanishing?
- Video: Farming While Black
- Soul Fire Farm’s COVID-19 Policy Demands
FOLLOW:
