Abstract
This paper reviews 115 articles and books published since 1971 that comprise almost all of the scholarly research on black farmers and land loss. It provides a general overview as well as discussion of the benefits of landownership for the black community. Several causes of black land and farm loss are reviewed: forced sales due to "heir property," lack of access to government programs, and continuing racial discrimination by lenders and government agencies. A number of the works cited provide possible ways to slow the loss of black-owned land, including strategies to increase the profitability of individual farms and increased finding of programs (e.g., by 1890 land grant universities and community-based organizations) that provide assistance to small-scale, limited-resource farmers. The paper concludes with suggestions for additional research and legislative action.
Recommended Citation
Gilbert, Jess, Gwen Sharp, and M. Felin. 2002. "The Loss and Persistence of Black-Owned Farms and Farmland: A Review of the Research Literature and Its Implications." Journal of Rural Social Sciences, 18(2): Article 1. Available at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/jrss/vol18/iss2/1
Publication Date
12-31-2002
