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RACISM
Why Black Land Owners Struggle to Keep Ownership
An essay about America's shameful legacy of dispossession
Today, Black Americans own less than 1% of rural land. This is not for lack of wanting. But rather a reflection of the barriers that stand in the way of acquiring land and keeping deeds in hand. Take, for instance, the efforts of the Sandersville Railroad Company. They're trying to force a Black family to relinquish their land. Blaine Smith and his siblings inherited 600 acres in the 1920s. According to reporting in Capital B, they grew up farming, fishing, and hunting on this land. Their family fed generations, cultivating "cotton, fruits, vegetables, timber." They also raised livestock, such as "pigs, chickens, and cows." Owning the land even helped provide educational opportunities for some family members. Today, Blaine lives on the land with his wife, Diane Smith. Other family members also lived there, including his brother, Mark Smith, and his wife, Janet Paige Smith. Their cousin, Marvin Smith Jr., his wife, Patricia Smith, and their son also call the land home. Yet, they find themselves in a battle to keep it.
So far, the courts have failed to protect the Black family from losing land they've owned for over a century. A Fulton County Superior Court Judge, Craig L. Schall, ruled in favor of the railroad company. This decision granted them the authority to confiscate portions of the land and build a 4.5-mile rail line. This decision was disappointing not only for the Smith family but also for the surrounding community. This inspired the creation of an organization, "No Railroads in Our Community Coalition." Along with the Southern Poverty Law Center, they're fighting back. According to their petition, other "homes near the proposed route" could be affected. The expansion would introduce "unwanted and hazardous noise, air pollution, and vibrations." A nearby mining operation, the Handson Quarry, already emits toxins. Thus, they argue, "the new spur will only compound the negative environmental impacts." And therefore diminish the quality of life for residents. Not to mention diminish property values. Sadly, the railroad company is pushing forward despite the health risks. And the injustice of Black land theft.
