Week 10: Black Land

"Fear is a disease"

Since the first ship carrying people from Africa to the Americas, Africans and African-Americans have had a restrictive relationship with the land they often worked. Specifically in the USA, after 1865, freed people still had many restrictions on obtaining and keeping land, and active efforts since then have focused on reducing the amount of land they can travel on and own.

1. The Green Book: While Americans throughout the 20th century traveled the country more, African-Americans couldn't travel as freely. However, there was a group of braves souls that ventured to different parts of the country, and worked with others, to create a book for fellow African-Americans on what places are safe to travel.

Watch The real story of the Green Book by Vox

2. How Property Law Is Used to Appropriate Black Land: There are some opportunist who seek to take land away from those who live on it through a series of old laws and improper estate planning. Because some land is owned under "heir property," all the heirs over generations own the land, which gives way for those looking to buy this land the ability to without their permission.

Watch How Property Law Is Used to Appropriate Black Land by Vice

3. The Great Land Robbery: In a continuation of the second video, this is shameful story of how 1 million black families have been ripped from their farms. You can either read the article, listen to the podcast on it in the SoundCloud widget within the article, or read along while the podcast plays!

Watch The Great Land Robbery by The Atlantic

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