BELLE PLAINE, Kan. — No active Black farmers are left in a historic Kansas community where hundreds migrated a century ago to escape racism and poverty.
The lack of Black farmers in Nicodemus illustrates a nationwide decline. In 1910, Black farmers made up 14% of the U.S farming population but today account for just 1.4%. Most family farms across the country have been hit in recent years by such things as market volatility, poor weather and consolidations spurred by technological advances.
On top of that, many Black farmers say racial bias at all levels of government has effectively pushed them off their land.
