This project will tell the stories of Black landowners in the northeast in their own words. The research team will interview 7-10 Black landowners (forest and agricultural), with an emphasis on New York State, to learn about their unique experiences as landowners in the northeast. The team will document and share stories and to gain a regional perspective about the issues they face, strategies to combat land loss, and incentives for becoming landowners.  Interviews will cover topics such as: how they acquired their land, stewardship goals, obstacles faced, and opportunities moving forward. 
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The team will also conduct an analysis of research on Black landowners, with an emphasis on forest landowners since so little is known about their experiences in the northeastern region of the U.S.  This will allow development and dissemination of a research agenda on crucial needs that will increase awareness and foster research on Black landowners, particularly outside of the southern U.S.  The intersection of agriculture and forestry on Black-owned lands and agroforestry as a tool that can help maintain the viability of woodlands will also be a component of this work.  The Team will also assemble an advisory board of NGOs and educational entities to help guide project work.

This project is part of the Cornell Rural Humanities Initiative and funded through a grant from the Mellon Foundation.