Uprooting Weeds: Exploring the Links Between Structural Inequalities and Stressors among Black Women Farmers in the United States (2024)

Undergraduate: Sophia Bowers

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Molly DeMarco
Department: Nutrition

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Black women farmers in American agriculture have a complex relationship shaped by historical exploitation, systemic barriers, and contemporary challenges. Centuries of enslaved labor and discrimination have deeply impacted their mental and physical health. Despite a peak in black farmers in 1920, their numbers have drastically declined, with only 12,000 black women farmers today. Discrimination, limited access to resources, and the pressure to conform to the "Strong Black Woman" schema contribute to their struggles. A qualitative study with 10 black women farmers in the Southern U.S. revealed themes of discrimination, resilience, resource scarcity, and community liberation. The study highlights the need for equity, inclusion, and support mechanisms in agriculture. Challenges include biases, lack of support, and limited access to resources. Farming serves as both a source of resilience and a site of systemic barriers for black women. This research contributes to understanding Black women agrarianism and calls for action to address systemic inequalities in the agricultural sector.