Farming While Black

"The film uplifts the rising generation of Black farmers reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots. "
by
Mark Decena
2023
75 mins, 60 mins

NEW 60 MINUTE VERSION NOW AVAILABLE!

Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, reflects on the plight of Black farmers in the United States. From the height of Black-owned farms at 14% in 1910 to less than 2% today. Leah and her Soul Fire Farm cohorts help propel a rising generation finding strength in the deep historical knowledge of African agrarianism - and its potential to save the planet.

Purchasing Options are for educational institutions internal and in-classroom screenings only. For Public Screening Licensing, please go to FarmingWhileBlackFilm.com and fill out the form at the Host a Screening page. Discount codes and shorter term options are are available upon request.

...a strong narrative of how Black farmers have been part of U.S. farming history, how race relations in the United States created an agricultural landscape dominated by white farmers, and the ideas and community of a new generation of farmers. This film discusses the political landscape and the existing networks of young and experienced Black farmers who advocate for and protect their access to land and resources. It would be a good addition to academic and public library collections.
Reviewed by Susannah Benedetti
Associate Director, University of North Carolina Wilmington - Educational Media Reviews Online
Read more at: emro.libraries.psu.edu

Synopsis

As the co-founder of Soul Fire Farm in upstate New York, Leah Penniman finds strength in the deep historical knowledge of African agrarianism – agricultural practices that can heal people and the planet. Influenced and inspired by Karen Washington, a pioneer in urban community gardens in New York City, and fellow farmer and organizer Blain Snipstal, Leah galvanizes around farming as the basis of revolutionary justice.

In 1910, Black farmers owned 14 percent of all American farmland. Over the intervening decades, that number fell below two percent, the result of racism, discrimination, and dispossession. The film chronicles Penniman and two other Black farmers’ efforts to reclaim their agricultural heritage. Collectively, their work has a major impact as leaders in the sustainable agriculture and food justice movements.

Reviews
"Farming While Black” is a powerful cinematic exploration of the intersectionality of race, class, and agriculture. It offers a vital lens through which students can examine historical and contemporary issues of land ownership, food sovereignty, and economic inequality. This film serves as a catalyst for critical dialogue about the systemic barriers faced by Black farmers and the resilience of a community striving for liberation and self-determination.
Ashley Rouse
Executive Director, The Edible Schoolyard Project

Awards and Screenings
Wild & Scenic Film Festival - Winner - Best of the Fest
Denton Black Film Festival - Best Documentary Runner Up
Filmteenth Film Festival - Winner - Best Documentary
Diamond State Black Film Festival - Best Documentary

Director Commentary

After years of working on films in the climate and environmental justice space I was hungry for a film that uplifted solutions, not only to the climate crisis, but also the social and environmental issues. A character from our previous film, Not Without Us, being a seed activist, planted the seed of an idea for our next film: the fact that small farmers grow 70% of the world’s food and regenerative practices use only a small amount of energy resources (compared to industrial agriculture). After hearing Leah Penniman on a podcast, I realized Soul Fire Farm and the Afro-Indigenous agricultural techniques that they employ would be the perfect nexus of the movement spaces we’ve documented in the past.

Farming While Black offers a historical look at Black farmers in the US and more importantly offers inspiration and hope for the rising generation of Black farmers who are finding connection and purpose in changing the food system, contributing solutions to the climate crisis, and finding joy in reconnecting to land.

Features and Languages

Film Features

  • Closed Captioning

Film/Audio Languages

  • English

Subtitle/Caption Languages

  • English

Promotional Material

Promotional Stills

Black farmer and timber frame builder, Blain Snipstal, stands among trees on his Black Dirt Farm Collective's land
Blain Snipstal
Portrait Shot of Leah Penniman
Leah Penniman
Leah and Naima walking in the middle of a field
Leah and Naima
Leah Feeding Chickens
Leah Penniman - Chicken Coop

Resources for Educators

File Downloads

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