Black Belt Realities:
Research, Policy, and Community
A research and policy initiative of the Carver Integrative Sustainability Center focused on the lived realities, structural conditions, and policy shifts shaping African American communities across the Black Belt region.
Focus Areas
- Black Belt policy analysis and rural development research
- Land, agriculture, institutions, and economic sustainability
- Publications, annual reports, and issue briefs for educators, advocates, and community partners
The Current State of African Americans in the Black Belt
African-Americans in the rural South—referred to here as the Black Belt—remain on the difficult side of major political and economic shifts. Out-migration, agricultural mechanization, and the concentration of land ownership have weakened local opportunity and reduced the number of families who directly benefit from the region’s productive land base.
Many of the poorest counties in the nation are located in the rural South, where a significant number of African-Americans reside. At the same time, the region includes the overwhelming share of Black-owned farmland, historically Black institutions, and local leadership rooted in community advancement.
The Black Belt stretches across the heart of the old plantation South—from eastern Texas to Virginia—and reflects a deeply rooted connection between history, race, place, land, and persistent poverty. This initiative examines those conditions while advancing research and training on how policy affects African American communities in the rural South.
Policy Briefs & Reports
A curated collection of SAABB briefs, annual reports, presentations, and recommendations designed for farmers, researchers, educators, advocates, and community partners.
SAABB Policy Brief 1
The first published SAABB brief introducing early policy framing and research context for Black Belt communities.
Open Brief
SAABB Policy Brief 2
A continuation of SAABB’s policy and research work with a focus on issues affecting Black Belt development and sustainability.
Open BriefSAABB Policy Brief 3rd Edition
A policy-centered publication exploring affirmative action within the land-grant university system and its broader implications.
Open BriefSAABB Annual Report
A year-in-review publication highlighting research activity, policy engagement, and initiative progress.
Open ReportSAABB Annual Report
An updated annual overview of SAABB’s policy work, publications, and ongoing impact across the region.
Open ReportSAABB Presentation
A presentation resource summarizing SAABB themes, insights, and public-facing research communication.
Open PresentationSelected Recommendations
A companion publication with selected recommendations related to the initiative’s research and policy direction.
Open DocumentOne Big, Beautiful Bill
A new SAABB policy brief examining the agricultural impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill, including commodity policy, conservation, crop insurance, disaster assistance, and implications for small and medium-sized farmers.
Open BriefCoordinator
Dr. Gloria Tinubu
Jerry Pennick
Dr. Monyai Chavers
Kourtney Sherrod
Dalal Alkordi
Reylan Cook
Baile Braxton
Collaborators
- USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement
- Center for Farming Systems, Rural Prosperity, and Economic Sustainability
- 1890 Policy Center for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center
Additional Publication
Reimagining Affirmative Action in the Land Grant University System
View Publication