A soulful collection of illuminating essays and interviews that explore Black peopleâs spiritual and scientific connection to the land, waters, and climate, curated by the acclaimed author of Farming While Black
Author of Farming While Black and co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, Leah Penniman reminds us that ecological humility is an intrinsic part of Black cultural heritage. While racial capitalism has attempted to sever our connection to the sacred earth for 400 years, Black people have long seen the land and water as family and understood the intrinsic value of nature.
This thought-provoking anthology brings together todayâs most respected and influential Black environmentalist voices âleaders who have cultivated the skill of listening to the Earth âto share the lessons they have learned. These varied and distinguished experts include Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Alice Walker; the first Queen Mother and official spokesperson for the Gullah/Geechee Nation, Queen Quet; marine biologist, policy expert, and founder and president of Ocean Collectiv, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson; and the Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers, Land Loss Prevention Project, Savi Horne. In Black Earth Wisdom, they address the essential connection between nature and our survival and how runaway consumption and corporate insatiability are harming the earth and every facet of American society, engendering racial violence, food apartheid, and climate injustice.
Those whose skin is the color of soil are reviving their ancestral and ancient practice of listening to the earth for guidance. Penniman makes clear that the fight for racial and environmental justice demands that people put our planet first and defer to nature as our ultimate teacher.
Contributors include:
Alice Walker âą adrienne maree brown âą Dr. Ross Gay âą Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson âą Rue Mapp âą Dr. Carolyn Finney âą Audrey Peterman âą Awise Agbaye Wande Abimbola âą Ibrahim Abdul-Matin âą Kendra Pierre-Louis âą Latria Graham âą Dr. Lauret Savoy âąIra Wallace âą Savi Horne âą Dr. Claudia Ford âą Dr. J. Drew Lanham âą Dr. Leni Sorensen âą Queen Quet âą Toshi Reagon âą Yeye Luisah Teish âą Yonnette Fleming âą Naima Penniman âą Angelou Ezeilo âą James Edward Mills âą Teresa Baker âą Pandora Thomas âą Toi Scott âą Aleya Fraser âą Chris Bolden-Newsome âą Dr. Joshua Bennett âą B. Anderson âą Chris Hill âą Greg Watson âą T. Morgan Dixon âą Dr. Dorceta Taylor âą Colette Pichon Battle âą Dillon Bernard âą Sharon Lavigne âą Steve Curwood âą and Babalawo Enroue Halfkenny
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.