Contents Notes |
"A soulful collection of illuminating essays and interviews that explore Black people's spiritual and scientific connection to the land, waters, and climate, curated by the acclaimed author of Farming While Black"-- "Curated by the author of Farming While Black and cofounder of Soul Fire Farm comes an anthology uplifting Black people's spiritual connection to land and climate justice. While racial capitalism has attempted to sever our connection to the sacred earth for four hundred years, Black people have long seen the land and water as family, treating the earth as a home essential. Farmer, activist, and self-proclaimed "soil nerd" Leah Penniman is among those who persist in recovering our ancient practices, and in Black Earth Wisdom she reminds us that ecological humility is an intrinsic part of our cultural heritage. This thought-provoking anthology brings together today's most respected and influential Black environmentalist voices. 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 Urban Ocean Lab, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson; and executive director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project, Savi Horne. These leaders address the essential connection between nature and our survival and how runaway consumption and corporate insatiability are harming the earth and impacting every facet of American society, including racial violence, food apartheid, and climate injustice. Penniman makes clear that the fight for racial and environmental justice demands that people put our planet first and defer to nature as our teacher. This soulful collection of illuminating essays continues the effort to revive our ancestral and ancient practices of listening to the earth for guidance." -- Jacket flap. |