Lloyd Wright has worked with 10 presidents since the early 1960s and seen how both Republicans and Democrats have failed to address Black farmers’ civil rights complaints and correct institutional racism within the United States Department of Agriculture. “Many Black farmers refer to USDA as being the last plantation, and the reason for that is, […]
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 inMaternal Health, Politics & Policy, Reproductive Health
Post Election, Black Women Strategize to Ensure Reproductive Rights for All
Nearly 90% of Black women in America voted for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the first among them to ascend to the highest office in the nation. And while her loss is hard for her supporters to accept, many of them say the patchwork collection of laws that is emerging after this month’s election […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Rural Issues
Black Farmers See a Decline, Yet New Growers Stay Determined
This story was originally published on February 16, 2024, and has been updated. Land loss and discrimination haven’t stopped a new generation of young Black farmers from spearheading efforts to revitalize the industry while building a more equitable and sustainable future for their communities. In the past five years, the U.S. lost 7% of all […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Rural Issues
Some Black Rural Voters Feel Abandoned by Democrats
The election results didn’t shock Keith McCants, a 42-year-old welder in south Georgia. Leading up to Election Day, the chairman of the local Democratic Party had been door-knocking and engaging with voters across Bryan County, about 21 miles from Savannah. He even passed out Kamala Harris for President signs, but people “would take them down […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Rural Issues
Rural Black Americans Brace for Racism, Neglect Under Trump
Amanda David felt a wave of devastation as reality sank in that former President Donald Trump would lead the country again. Yet, the past four years have felt as if he had never left. She’s been battling ongoing violent threats, racism, and harassment from her white neighbor in Ithaca, New York. The college town and […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Black Voters Prepare for Backlash Ahead of Election Day
Activist Camille Bennett never backs down from a fight, despite her life being in danger. She’s endured racist and violent threats in rural Alabama, a part of a life she’s known since moving there as a teenager. She’s in Florence, her father’s hometown in the northwest part of the state known as The Shoals. In […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues, Voting
The Powerful, Unsung Role Black Rural Voters Can Play in Our Elections
For years, Garrett Snuggs questioned why the predominantly white town council of Wadesboro, North Carolina, didn’t reflect its population — 69% of which is Black. In the rural town of 5,000, about 52 miles away from Charlotte, he noticed that many Black folks, particularly youth and men, were disengaged from the political process. That changed […]
Posted inRural Issues
Locked Up and Locked Out
Pamela Barnes never thought she and her sisters would be sitting in a cold, dirty holding cell for trying to protect her family’s land. Just before sunset around 6:30 a.m., the 63-year-old gazed at the white walls’ chipped and peeling paint. Her eyes moved to the rusty, mold-covered vent above her. Her discomfort was eased […]
Posted inEminent Domain, Rural Issues
In 11 Minutes, These Black Landowners Lost Their Property to a Railroad
Landowners in a predominantly Black town in rural Georgia who have been fighting to keep their properties from falling into the hands of a railroad company were dealt another blow on Wednesday when a state regulatory authority ruled in favor of the railroad. During a Wednesday session, the Georgia Public Service Commission unanimously approved Sandersville […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
Georgia Residents React to Harris-Walz Rally in Savannah
When Brandon Byrd learned that Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would be in his home state of Georgia to campaign this week, he responded: “It’s about damn time.” Byrd understands rural areas better than most as a native of Metter, a 30% Black town of fewer than 4,000 people. Since 2021, […]