Still Here ~ African American Farmers in the 21st Century
Still Here ~ African American Farmers in the 21st Century was inspired by my grandfather, William “Boone” Dominique, and a man I never met called Eddie Wise. Remembering my grandfather and his South Louisiana farm, and being outraged by the story of Eddie Wise, I was compelled to launch my project, Still Here, documenting the story of Black Farmers around the United States. Since May of 2018 I have photographed on seven Black farms around the country for my on-going, self-funded project. The photographs here are highlights from the series. You can read more about this project after the last photograph.
Dr. Charles Guidry in front of one his semitrucks. Dr. Guidry frams sugarcane over 4000 acres of fields spread around several parishes in South Louisiana. He employs several dozen people, locals as well as immigrant laborers.
Dr. Guidry, who has run a successful farm operation for over 35 years, stands in front of his Rolls Royce Ghost. He acquired this treasure as a gift to his wife, Wanda, after a particularly good sugarcane harvest.
Dr. Guidry tastes a handful of sugar at the bottom of a sugar hill in a warehouse of Cajun Sugar Cooperative. Dr. Guidry is the sole African American board member of the New Iberia based cooperative.
A Farmer’s Hands. The hands of Rev. Lovely Moore, a minister and farmer who, now in his early 90s, is known is the oldest farmer in Virginia. He has been farming since he was ten years old. Rev. Moore raises cattle. In 2018 he had 50 head of Black Angus and White Charlet. He stopped farming tobacco in 2003 when crop subsidies were eliminated, making tobacco crops unsustainable. Rev. Moore is the long-time pastor at Rev. Moore preaching at Saint Taylor Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church in South Hill, Va.
Rev. Moore is very proud of his 1966 Ford Galaxie. "This is the first car I was able to buy, new, in cash," he beams when talking about his baby.
Rev. Moore in the pulpit at Saint Taylor Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church.
Browntown Farms
Browntown Farms is located in Warfield, Va. It's run by the father-son team Herb Brown, Sr., and Herb Brown, Jr.. The Brown family has had Browntown Farms since 1908. Herb Sr., originally began farming tobacco and as that market went away he diversified the crops into a variety of seasonal produce. The origin story of Browntown Farms is quite interesting; the original 300 or so acres that made up the farm were purchased by Sandy Brown for $1200.00. Tobacco was the primary crop until market and economic changes required the Browns to find new directions and crops. Four generations after great great grandfather Sandy Brown's original purchase, Browntown Farms provides locally grown fruits and vegetables to the local community.
Herb Brown, Jr. works full-time as a USDA Farm Service Agent. He is nonetheless a dedicated farmer after the day-job ends.
Leah Penniman is a farmer, educator, author, and food sovereignty activist who, along with her partner Jonah Vitale-Wolff, co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2010 in Grafton, New York, with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim their ancestral connection to land. Leah is currently Co-Director and Program Manager of Soul Fire Farm. Her second book, Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists, was recently published.
Damaris Miller on the way into the field for an afternoon of plowing.
Lytisha Wyatt shows off the eggs she's gathered.
Amani Olugbala, Jonah Vitale-Wolff, Leah Penniman, Olive Watkins, Lytisha Wyatt, Damaris Miller, Larisa Jacobson. The Soul Fire Farm team from the summer of 2018.
“I am my ancestors wildest dream!”
Matthew Raiford with his wife and business partner Tia Raiford on Gillard Farms, in Brunswick, Georgia.
Raiford says he grew up on this land that has sustained his family for seven generations. And according to the family history, the land along the Georgia coast, was originally acquired by Matthew’s great-great-great grandfather, Juiper Gillard in 1874.
The Raifords understand that a business-like approach and entrepreneurial spirit is essential for success in this moment. In addition to the farm operation, the couple, who met in culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America campus in New York, operates Strong Roots 9, which they describe as “ a lifestyle brand which is dedicated to creating products and experiences for Americans to reconnect with the nation’s natural heritage, from the perspective of the people whose ancestors helped build it.”
Matthew, who calls himself a “chefarmer” in recognition of his skills in the kitchen as well as on the land, was a 2018 semi-finalist in the James Beard Awards Best Chef in the Southeast. Tia is also an accomplished chef. Before launching Strong Roots 9 with Matthew, Tia held executive positions in the culinary operations of Preferred Foods, Urban Outfitters and Vetri Foundation. And Matthew, prior to devoting himself to Gillard Farms full-time was executive chef at Little St. Simons Island restaurant as well as at Haute Catering in Washington, DC at the U.S. House of Representatives.
Matthew recently published Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth Generation Farmer, the essential cookbook featuring the Gullah Geechee cuisine of the Georgia Low Country.
Tia and Matthew Raiford tending herbs.
Chores never end at Gilliard Farms. Here, Tia Raiford is feeding the prized hogs.
Matthew in the chef’s kitchen at Gilliard Farms.
The Raifords celebrating the weekend with friends at Gilliard Farms.
More About Still Here
Boone and my grandmother Gertrude lived and farmed in Loreauville, a small Louisiana town a few hours west of New Orleans. Our family tells stories about how Boone and his brothers farmed sugarcane using day laborers from Iberia and Lafayette parishes for long days in the fields while Gertrude did her share by cooking for the work crews. My grandparents were successful cane farmers who were able to pass their legacy on to their four daughters.
My grandfather and I were equally awed by our respective work lives. After graduate school, and after I'd launched my career as a lawyer, every time I visited my grandparents Boone would ask “are you still working?” He was visibly proud each time I responded “yes, and with the same company.” Every time I asked Boone if he was still farming, he'd smile and say “yep, I'm still here.”
In July 2017 I heard a story by the Center for Investigative Reporting for its Reveal podcast about Eddie Wise, a Black farmer and retired army Green Beret. Investigative reporter John Biewan recounted how in January 2016 Wise and his ill wife Dorothy were evicted from their mobile home and 106 acre hog farm near Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. Their story was about how race-based discrimination by the United States Department of Agriculture resulted in the Wise's losing their farm. It was heartbreaking to hear how Wise, then 72 years old, and his wife were evicted by government officials, some with semi-automatic weapons.
Years of intentional and systemic discrimination against Black farmers is documented and was the subject of litigation in a case called Pigford v. Glickman which resulted in more than a billion dollars paid out to a group of Black farmers as part of a settlement with the USDA based on the illegal conduct of its field agents in charge of handling Black farmers loan applications. The resolution of the litigation remains controversial because it is regarded as an insufficient remedy for past discrimination.
Recognizing that the number of Black farmers in the United States is declining over time due to a variety of circumstances, including a historical legacy of discrimination, my photo-documentary project honors and illustrates lives and work of some of them while they are Still Here.
You can explore a longer version of my project at