Lester Bonner purchased a tractor, hay baler, and two hay combines for his 113-acre wheat farm when he learned he’d have $50,000 of his loans wiped clean as a result of a debt relief program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Many more farmers invested in their farms in anticipation of the forgiveness of loans […]
Aallyah Wright
Aallyah Wright is the rural issues reporter for Capital B. From farmers to land fights to health care and jobs, her reporting explores the issues that matter most while celebrating culture and joy.
Follow her on Bluesky @aallyahpatrice.bsky.social and Instagram @journalistaallyah.
Posted inBlack Farmers, HBCUs, Rural Issues
Black Farmers Mobilize to Protect Vital HBCU Scholarship
In the two weeks since the White House reversed course on the 1890 National Scholars Program and lifted its suspension, Kendall Strickland still feels a sense of unease about the program’s future. Created in 1992, the program covers full tuition and room and board for underserved or rural students interested in studying food, agriculture, natural […]
Posted inBlack Farmers
Black Farmer Goes From Crops to Fashion
When Jonathan Miller isn’t traveling or sitting courtside at Milwaukee Bucks games, he’s back at his farm in Portland, Oregon. The growing season in the northwestern state, which has been his home since 2015, provides him with the flexibility to manage Doe Doe Farms, run his custom apparel business, and serve as head of security […]
Posted inEminent Domain, Rural Issues
This Black Family Won’t Back Down After Court Allows Railroad to Take Their Land
Blaine and Diane Smith were hurt but unsurprised when a Georgia superior court judge ruled last week that a railroad company could seize their land, despite their refusal to sell. For nearly two years, they have been fighting to stop Sandersville Railroad Co., a 130-year-old, white-owned business, from building a 4.5-mile rail spur through a […]
Posted inHistory, Money, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
The Battle for Land, Identity, and Survival of Gullah Geechee Communities
Whenever Nikki Williams’ feet touch the soil on Sapelo Island, Georgia, memories of her youth flood back vividly. Every fall, her grandfather had her work at the drink booth during Cultural Day, where hundreds gathered to celebrate “the heart and soul of Gullah Geechee culture” through arts and live entertainment. It’s a time to “touch […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Black Residents Liken Mississippi’s New Court System to ‘Modern Day Slavery’
This story originally published in 2024, but has been updated to reflect that three judges and a clerk have been sworn in. Jackson, Mississippi, resident and organizer Rukia Lumumba is frustrated with a federal appeals court decision that allows Mississippi to move forward with its separate, state-run court system in her hometown. Backed by a […]
Posted inEducation, K-12, Rural Issues
Congress Failed to Renew a Critical Funding Program for Rural Schools
Majority-Black, rural school districts in Mississippi like the one where Jacqueline Brown has taught for 17 years cannot afford budget cuts. It’s already difficult to recruit a certified math teacher or offer additional incentives to retain experienced educators who are nearing retirement in a rural area, she said. One federal program that helps rural counties […]
Posted inHealth, Rural Issues
Healing a Dark Past: The Long Road to Reopening Hospitals in the Rural South
Bridging Access: Across rural America, communities of color may be facing barriers to health care, but they’re also laying the groundwork for a more equitable future. Whether it’s hospitals reopening, a community’s holistic approach to maternal care, or the grassroots work to bring comprehensive services to immigrants, these stories offer a road map. This story […]
Posted inUncategorized
One Family’s Journey to Reclaim Their Ancestral Land Gains Lawmakers Support
This holiday season, Candice Hammons is grateful for one of the greatest gifts she received this year: unwavering support for her family’s pursuit of their land. For the past two years, Hammons and her immediate and distant relatives have organized to take back land near Jacksonville, Texas. In 1855, her great-great-great grandfather, Albartis, or Albertis, […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
Can the Farm Bill Bridge the Gap for Black Farmers?
Time is of the essence for farmers like Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin. Bellfield El-Amin and others are looking to Congress for emergency aid in this year’s farm bill. With intense weather conditions, funding struggles, and decline in revenue, Black farmers can’t afford a delay. After months of bickering, Republicans and Democrats reached a deal on a […]