SELMA, Alabama — On a sunny, humid summer afternoon, Willie Palmer Jr. gathered his cows under a tree for feeding time. He watched as they roamed the grounds, passing by a slew of vehicles, a shed, and barn on his 20-acre property. As the animals feasted, Palmer stood quietly for a moment, taking in the […]
Rural Issues
Posted inAgriculture, Black Farmers, Environmental Justice, Extreme Weather, Food Access, Rural Issues
In a N.C. Town With Almost No Grocers, One Farmer Is Expanding Local Food Access
Most days, Patrick Brown kneels in the red clay of Warren County, North Carolina, running the soil through his fingers. His roughly 300 acre farm has been in his family since 1865 and has survived crisis after crisis. Now it has another important job to do — affordably feeding families in one of the state’s […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Community
Why Fresh Collard Greens Are Becoming a Holiday Lifeline in These Communities
SYMONDS, Mississippi. — Robert Jackson hauled a truck two hours away from his farm to his home in Pensacola, Florida, to give away 1,200 bundles of collard greens just days before Thanksgiving. Instead of giving away free turkeys, like most people, he offered free greens and sweet potatoes. It’s the fourth year he’s been giving […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
Black Women Sweep Local Elections in Small Towns
Deondreze Young hadn’t planned on a career in politics. But, when seats opened up on her hometown city council, her father encouraged her to run, and she did, in hopes of making change in Wadley, Georgia. Young’s roles and position in the community — as a cosmetology instructor, nail technician, substitute teacher, and mother — […]
Posted inBlack Farmers, Food Access, Politics & Policy
Black-Owned Farms Fill Gaps Left by SNAP Funding Delays
Cherie Jzar, a North Carolina farmer, has become a lifeline for area residents as the Trump administration has delayed funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Many of her customers are seniors — who often live on fixed incomes and rely on SNAP. With the rising costs of food, she said, it has been difficult for […]
Posted inAgriculture, Black Farmers, Rural Issues
As Tariffs Rise, One Family’s Fields Tell the Real Cost of the Trade War
Willis Nelson, a third-generation farmer in eastern Louisiana, was hoping to avoid the worst. The 38-year-old farms 4,000 acres in Sondheimer with his brothers and father. They grow row crops such as corn, cotton, and soybean, which are the leading U.S. agricultural exports that are sold to a global market. This year, they opted out […]
Posted inRural Issues
The Black Women Driving a Food Revolution in Rural Mississippi
Sowing Resilience: Rural communities across the country are grappling with food insecurity. Schoolchildren, seniors, grocers and even farmers face a food crisis compounded by government cuts and soaring costs. These nine stories reveal how communities are navigating — and reimagining — the systems that have left them hungry. OAKLAND, Miss. — Grocery store owner Marquitrice […]
Posted inClimate Change, History, Rural Issues
The Army Took Their Land. Decades Later, This Black Community Still Wants It Back.
HARRIS NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Ga. — Over the course of what was a scorching, yet typical May day across Coastal Georgia, Willie Moran made it a point to stop and take a deep breath at every sight of water. Looking out across the estuaries and salt marshes teeming with wildlife, he repeatedly reminded his […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy, Rural Issues
Medicaid Cuts Endanger Life-Saving Care for Black Families in Rural America
Over the past few months, Marcia Dinkins’ eldest child has been hospitalized frequently. A serious infection swept through her daughter’s body, affecting her pancreas, spleen, and gallbladder. Fortunately, Dinkins’ daughter, Marshale Malone, was able to afford and receive life-saving surgery, thanks to Medicaid. But without it, Dinkins said, the health emergency could have meant either […]
Posted inBlack Businesses, Black Farmers, Economy, Politics & Policy
Black-Owned Businesses Confront Rising Costs Amid Trump’s Tariffs
Sweeping tariffs took effect Thursday, and while President Donald Trump has said the tariffs would lead to factories and jobs moving back to the United States, for Black Americans and small-business owners, it is not that simple. Prices are expected to dramatically rise for clothing and shoes; electronics like cellphones and computers; cars and auto […]