Agricultural communities across the country have seen a steep decline in Black farmers for generations, and nowhere is more illustrative of that than Nicodemus, where Alexander grew wheat and other crops. Nicodemus was the most famous of the Midwestern settlements where former slaves known as “exodusters” migrated more than a century ago, hopeful that farming their own land would help them escape racism and poverty.
Black farmers made up 14% of the U.S. farming population in 1910 but today account for just 1.4%.
Dowdell was only able to keep Alexander s house and the original 120-acre homestead that was not part of the bank loan. He now runs a restaurant in nearby Hill City, and the acreage he was able to keep sits idle as grassland.
Arizona
United-states
Virginia
Kansas
Hill-city
Carrie-dowdell
Gil-alexander
Johnella-holmes
Lateef-dowdell
John-boyd-jr
Agriculture-department
Associated-press
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) After Gil Alexander’s death left no active Black farmers in a historic Kansas community once home to hundreds, Alexander’s nephew and his wife gave up their jobs in Arizona to try and save the family farm.
But Lateef and Carrie Dowdell encountered steep hurdles after arriving in northwestern Kansas in 2017. The bank swiftly foreclosed on the land, and the U.S. Agriculture Department told them their lack of farming experience meant the agency couldn’t provide any help.
“I definitely feel it was discrimination,” Lateef Dowdell said. “All they really wanted to do really is focus on the farmers that were assisting Gil as far as sharecropping. But as far as helping me, no.”
Arizona
United-states
Belle-plaine
Kansas
Virginia
Hill-city
Carrie-dowdell
Gil-alexander
Johnella-holmes
Lateef-dowdell
John-boyd-jr
Agriculture-department
February 2, 2021 Share
After Gil Alexander’s death left no active Black farmers in a historic Kansas community once home to hundreds, Alexander’s nephew and his wife gave up their jobs in Arizona to try and save the family farm.
But Lateef and Carrie Dowdell encountered steep hurdles after arriving in northwestern Kansas in 2017. The bank swiftly foreclosed on the land, and the U.S. Agriculture Department told them their lack of farming experience meant the agency couldn’t provide any help.
“I definitely feel it was discrimination,” Lateef Dowdell said. “All they really wanted to do really is focus on the farmers that were assisting Gil as far as sharecropping. But as far as helping me, no.”
Arizona
United-states
Virginia
Kansas
Hill-city
Carrie-dowdell
Gil-alexander
Johnella-holmes
Lateef-dowdell
John-boyd-jr
Ap-photo-credit
Agriculture-department
Agricultural communities across the country have seen a steep decline in Black farmers for generations, and nowhere is more illustrative of that than Nicodemus, where Alexander grew wheat and other crops. Nicodemus was the most famous of the Midwestern settlements where former slaves known as “exodusters” migrated more than a century ago, hopeful that farming their own land would help them escape racism and poverty.
Black farmers made up 14% of the U.S. farming population in 1910 but today account for just 1.4%.
Dowdell was only able to keep Alexander s house and the original 120-acre homestead that was not part of the bank loan. He now runs a restaurant in nearby Hill City, and the acreage he was able to keep sits idle as grassland.
Arizona
United-states
Virginia
Kansas
Hill-city
Carrie-dowdell
Gil-alexander
Johnella-holmes
Lateef-dowdell
John-boyd-jr
Agriculture-department
Associated-press
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