Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership

By Brea Baker. Looks at why less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. is owned by Black people. Explores the impact of land theft and violent displacement on current racial wealth gaps. Argues that we must first unpack the historic attacks on Indigenous and Black land ownership and confront one of this nation’s first sins: stealing, hoarding, and commodifying the land. This theft widened the racial wealth gap, privatized natural resources, and created a permanent barrier to access that should be a birthright for Black and Indigenous communities. Read more.