Farms: Black Earth, Black Roots

Vermell Lockett Jr. raises organic grass-fed cattle in the historic Black farming community of Pembroke Township, Illinois. In 1900, 13% of American farms were run by Black families. Today, there are less than 1%. Lockett shares his family's experience and love for farming as part of a proposed documentary film and education project exploring African American farming in the Midwest, "Black Earth, Black Roots: Land, Food, and Self Determination through African American Eyes" by Black Oaks Center in Pembroke. Documentary produced by Juneteenth Productions. This trailer has been funded by the USDA National Institutes of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) Award #2012-49400-19696 to Black Oaks Center towards fulfillment of black farming curriculum development .