Fields of Freedom: An Examination of the Returning Generations Agrarian Preservation
Leverett, Anterior
Citations
Abstract
The legacy of trauma associated with agriculture in the United States has caused many African Americans to abandon their rich agrarian history and associate agricultural work with its connection to chattel slavery. However, as Black folks are returning to farming, there is little literature highlighting the significance of resistance with this resurgence in Black farming. My thesis will examine how today’s Black farmers leverage the resurgence of agrarianism as a contemporary form of resistance. Through a dramaturgical approach, I will use this thesis to focus on farming techniques, educational initiatives, and the cultivation of specific crops to reconnect African Americans with their agrarian roots. I argue that the return to the land will create further avenues for Black people to combat trauma and oppressive agricultural regulations. In conclusion, this project sheds light on the new generation of farmers fighting for justice through heritage preservation.
