New Communities
Encyclopedia
New Communities was a 5700 acres (23.1 km²) land trust
and farm collective
owned and operated by approximately a dozen black farm farmers 1969 – 1985. Once one of the largest-acreage African American-owned properties in the United States, it was situated in Southwest Georgia
.
activists as Robert Swann and Shimon Gottschalk, several black leaders in Albany, Georgia
, patterned the form of the organization after legal documents used by the Jewish National Fund
in Israel. Group members traveled to Israel to study how the J.N.F. leases land for various uses. They chose to include leases for homestead
s and cooperative farms. The group bought the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) farmland and leased it to members.
The documents evolved to a degree after the 1960s and, , there were hundreds of Community Land Trust
s in the United States with more being planned. Swann later wrote (along with co-author Susan Witt, in their scholarly essay "Land: Challenge and Opportunity"): "The perseverance and foresight of that team in Georgia, motivated by the right of African-American farmers to farm land securely and affordably, initiated the CLT movement in this country [the U.S.]."
grapes, putting in 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) of the crop – now commonly grown in Southwest Georgia. On 1500 acres (6.1 km²) devoted to row crops, they raised area staples corn, peanuts and soybeans. Yet in 1981 the region where the farms were located experienced severe drought. According to the findings of a federal arbitrators in 2009, unlike similar requests from area farmers that were white, New Communities' application for an emergency loan from the United States Department of Agriculture for an irrigation system was denied with no clear explanation. In 1982, the drought continued and the operation sold lumber for $50,000 to remain viable. The USDA demanded its receipt of these funds as a condition for a loan. In 1983 the agency requested and received the deed to the holdings and provided nothing in return.
In the aftermath of the Pigford v. Glickman
class-action discrimination
lawsuit, in 2009, New Communities became the recipient of the largest amount of compensation from the USDA . Chief arbitrator Michael Lewis's opinion said that the example of the USDA's demand for New Communities' timber proceeds "smack[ed] of nothing more than a feudal baron demanding additional crops from his serfs." Lewis found the department's actions discriminatory, awarding the former land holders $12.8 million. Two of these land holders, Charles
and Shirley Sherrod, received, in addition to their share of the above, $150,000 compenasation each for mental aguish
.
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
and farm collective
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
owned and operated by approximately a dozen black farm farmers 1969 – 1985. Once one of the largest-acreage African American-owned properties in the United States, it was situated in Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia is a thirteen-county region in the U.S. state of Georgia. A common acronym used is SOWEGA.The largest city is Albany. Counties include Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth.In 1995, 25% of the...
.
Model for U.S. Community Land Trusts
Instrumental in the forming of the partnership was Slater King (1927–1969), a cousin of Martin Luther King, Jr. Working with such collective farmCollective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
activists as Robert Swann and Shimon Gottschalk, several black leaders in Albany, Georgia
Albany Movement
The Albany Movement was a desegregation coalition formed in Albany, Georgia, on November 17, 1961. Local activists, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People were all involved in the movement. The movement was led by William...
, patterned the form of the organization after legal documents used by the Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund was founded in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman Palestine for Jewish settlement. The JNF is a quasi-governmental, non-profit organisation...
in Israel. Group members traveled to Israel to study how the J.N.F. leases land for various uses. They chose to include leases for homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
s and cooperative farms. The group bought the 5000 acres (20.2 km²) farmland and leased it to members.
The documents evolved to a degree after the 1960s and, , there were hundreds of Community Land Trust
Community land trust
A community land trust is a nonprofit corporation which acquires and manages land on behalf of the residents of a place-based community, while preserving affordability and preventing foreclosures for any housing located upon its land.-Key features:...
s in the United States with more being planned. Swann later wrote (along with co-author Susan Witt, in their scholarly essay "Land: Challenge and Opportunity"): "The perseverance and foresight of that team in Georgia, motivated by the right of African-American farmers to farm land securely and affordably, initiated the CLT movement in this country [the U.S.]."
Collective's production; financial woes; civil suit settlement with USDA
The group used roadside stands to sell crops, built a roadside smokehouse for the hogs they slaughtered, and a roadside sugarcane mill, to attract customers. They pioneered the raising of MuscadineMuscadine
Muscadines are a grapevine species native to the present-day southeastern United States that has been extensively cultivated since the 16th Century. It differs from Vitis spp. in its number of chromosomes and its morphology...
grapes, putting in 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) of the crop – now commonly grown in Southwest Georgia. On 1500 acres (6.1 km²) devoted to row crops, they raised area staples corn, peanuts and soybeans. Yet in 1981 the region where the farms were located experienced severe drought. According to the findings of a federal arbitrators in 2009, unlike similar requests from area farmers that were white, New Communities' application for an emergency loan from the United States Department of Agriculture for an irrigation system was denied with no clear explanation. In 1982, the drought continued and the operation sold lumber for $50,000 to remain viable. The USDA demanded its receipt of these funds as a condition for a loan. In 1983 the agency requested and received the deed to the holdings and provided nothing in return.
In the aftermath of the Pigford v. Glickman
Pigford v. Glickman
Pigford v. Glickman was a class action lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture , alleging racial discrimination in its allocation of farm loans and assistance between 1983 and 1997. The lawsuit ended with a settlement on April 14, 1999, by Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S....
class-action discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
lawsuit, in 2009, New Communities became the recipient of the largest amount of compensation from the USDA . Chief arbitrator Michael Lewis's opinion said that the example of the USDA's demand for New Communities' timber proceeds "smack[ed] of nothing more than a feudal baron demanding additional crops from his serfs." Lewis found the department's actions discriminatory, awarding the former land holders $12.8 million. Two of these land holders, Charles
Charles Sherrod
Charles Sherrod was a key member and organizer of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. He became the first SNCC field secretary and SNCC director of southwest Georgia. His leadership there led to the Albany Movement...
and Shirley Sherrod, received, in addition to their share of the above, $150,000 compenasation each for mental aguish
Pain and suffering
Pain and suffering is the legal term for the physical and emotional stress caused from an injury .Some damages that might be under this category would be: aches, temporary and permanent limitations on activity, potential shortening of life, depression or scarring...
.
External links
- "FVSU
[Fort Valley State University launches new oral history project"] – Christina D. Milton