Since colonization, land has been commodified, transforming a once communal and sacred resource into an economic asset available primarily to those with financial privilege. 

For generations, land and home ownership have been the most reliable means of building intergenerational wealth in the United States. However, systemic racism—through government-sanctioned policies such as redlining, restrictive covenants, and discriminatory lending practices—barred Black people and other communities of color from accessing this pathway to economic security. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), established in 1934, systematically denied loans to Black families while financing the creation of segregated white suburbs, a legacy that continues to impact wealth disparities today (Rothstein, 2017; Taylor, 2019).

Historically, neighborhoods were diverse and integrated across economic and racial lines. However, through intentional redevelopment projects and government policies such as urban renewal, marginalized and poor communities were pushed out of their homes and further disenfranchised. The creation of highays, rezoning laws, and eminent domain were often used to displace Black and immigrant communities, exacerbating economic and social inequalities (Fullilove, 2004).

Starting a farm today presents significant barriers to entry, primarily due to the need for access to land, infrastructure, and capital for purchasing equipment and supplies. The high cost of farmland, coupled with limited financing options, makes it particularly difficult for new and beginning farmers—especially those from historically marginalized communities—to establish sustainable operations. Despite making up approximately 60% of farm laborers, people of color own only about 2% of farmland in the United States, illustrating the persistent racial disparities in agricultural land ownership (USDA, 2017; National Young Farmers Coalition, 2020).

We must understand and name these realities and how they influence who has power over land, labor, and food.  

To address these inequities, we must explore alternative models of land stewardship that prioritize shared resources while offering security and stability for future generations. Cooperative land ownership, community land trusts, and long-term lease agreements can provide equitable opportunities for aspiring farmers while ensuring that land remains accessible and productive. By embracing collective stewardship, we can challenge the existing structures of land commodification and create pathways for more inclusive and sustainable agricultural futures (Borras et al., 2020; Loka, 2021).

We commit to honoring and lifting up the voices and wisdom of Black and Indigenous communities who have deep knowledge and innovation in agriculture, food sciences, and land stewardship. 

These voices have been largely ignored or erased in the documentation of that collective knowledge. By acknowledging the past and working toward equitable solutions, we hope to contribute to a future where land is accessible, sustainable, and reflective of the diverse beliefs, cultures, and histories of all its inhabitants.

To learn more about and support the Susquehannock and Lenape Tribes* and Native/Indigenous communities, please visit the following:

• Native Land Digital: https://native-land.ca

• Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly, Inc.: https://ipdphilly.org/

• The Conestoga-Susquehannock Tribe: https://www.conestogasusquehannocktribe.com

• Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania: https://www.lenape-nation.org/

• The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation: https://nlltribe.com/ 

• The Ramapough Lenape Nation: https://ramapomunsee.net/ 

• The Nanticoke of Millsboro Delaware: https://www.nanticokeindians.org/ 

• The Lenape of Cheswold Delaware: http://www.lenapeindiantribeofdelaware.com/  

• The Delaware Nation, Anadarko, Oklahoma: https://www.delawarenation-nsn.gov/   

• The Delaware Tribe of Indians, Bartlesville, Oklahoma: https://delawaretribe.org/

• Stockbridge-Munsee Community, Band of Mohican Indians, Wisconsin:  https://www.mohican.com/

Here are some resources to support national Black land preservation and Liberation projects:

• The Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund: https://www.federation.coop/about-us

• National Black Food and Justice Alliance: https://www.blackfoodjustice.org/

• Black Farmers Network: https://blackfarmersnetwork.com/

• Reparations Summer and the Drinking Gourd Network: https://reparationssummer.com/our-folks/

• Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust: https://nefoclandtrust.org/

* Although there are several state and federally recognized Lenape tribes in the United States and First Nations in Canada, and there are hundreds of Tribal Nations not recognized by The US government. Therefore, there are many “unrecognized” Tribes of Lenape existing in many states, including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Idaho, and Kansas.

References:

Borras, S. M., et al. (2020). Land grabbing and global food politics. Routledge.

Calloway, C. G. (2020). The Indian World of George Washington: The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation. Oxford University Press.

Fullilove, M. (2004). Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America, and What We Can Do About It. One World.

National Young Farmers Coalition. (2020). Building a Future with Farmers II.

Newby, B. (2018). Black Farmers in America, 1865-2000: The Pursuit of Independent Farming and the Role of Cooperatives. USDA.

Penniman, L. (2018). Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land. Chelsea Green Publishing.

Rothstein, R. (2017). The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Liveright Publishing.

Smithsonian Institution (n.d.). Slavery and Freedom. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://www.searchablemuseum.com/slavery-and-the-making-of-the-atlantic-world/

Stewart, R. (2019). Water and Indigenous Peoples: Recognition, Rights, and Stewardship.

Taylor, K. Y. (2019). Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership. University of North Carolina Press.

USDA (2017). Census of Agriculture.