the Plantation Agriculture Museum State Park preserves Arkansas’ farming history Exhibits and programs interpret the period from Arkansas’ statehood in 1836 through World War II when agricultural practices became mechanized Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural contributing to a thriving economy and high quality of life It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks We are locally owned and operated and the most complete source of news and information in South Central and Southeast Arkansas We provide top-quality advertising and exposure to small business owners companies and industries in the communities we serve 870.673.1595 stuttgartdailyleader@stuttgartdailyleader.com Log in for full access to stabroeknews.com Only one active session is allowed per subscriber A midnight chopping incident at Plantation Caracas and one hospitalized at the New Amsterdam Hospital a 45-year-old labourer and  Shawn Timothy  La Fleur A FREE roundup of top news from Guyana you might otherwise miss Whitney Plantation has two grants for Black history and culture terminated in ‘furtherance of president’s agenda’ IMLS provides resources and support to libraries archives and museums in all 50 states and territories The Whitney Plantation already received one of the grants this year which was to help fund an exhibit about how enslaved people resisted on plantations on which the museum had worked for three years Read moreIn a letter to grantees obtained by Verite News IMLS’s acting director and one of the remaining employees at the agency wrote that the Whitney Plantation’s grant would be terminated in compliance with the March executive order that limited the functions of the IMLS and other agencies   This newscast is updated weekdays at 6am The federal government has terminated two grants for African American history and culture awarded to the Whitney Plantation as the Trump administration works to strip federal funding from arts and cultural institutions The Institute of Museum and Library Services ended grants awarded through a program aimed at supporting African American museums last week executive director of the Whitney Plantation “These grants like ours are going to small museums who are doing good work in communities And to think that the history of African Americans in the South does not align with the priorities of the United States is very concerning.” the grants to the Whitney Plantation totalled almost $350,000 and were set to be completed in June Most of one grant has already been disbursed so the termination has no real effect on the museum But the museum and two of its grant partners stand to lose around $55,000 from the other award which helped fund an exhibition about how enslaved people performed acts of resistance on plantations Rogers requested the last of the funds from the IMLS in March and said her request had been approved by the agency “It’s enormously frustrating,” Rogers said “It’s a true waste of funds to have invested all of this time and money into a project that can’t go over the finish line because the government has already paid for most of the grant funds that they committed.” But the Whitney Plantation and its grant partners, the University of New Orleans and a research project called Freedom on the Move, have about a month to appeal the grant termination, according to an IMLS document obtained by Verite News a history professor at UNO and the project director for the exhibit said the project planners intend to appeal “We do expect that full amount to come through what we turn in doesn’t satisfy,” Mitchell said but removed the consideration in February after a request from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Rogers said the grants given by the IMLS are cost-match grants which require the grantee to invest a portion of the grant’s cost before they receive the award small museums lose out on revenue streams and their own investments Mitchell said IMLS grants help give small museums a seat at the table and the ability to share their work at conferences and with the public She said the museum is aiming to open the exhibition to the public in early 2026 depending on whether the funds come through Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper "THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964" The recent controversy surrounding Shedeur Sanders and his NFL draft prospects has once again pulled back the curtain on the deeply entrenched systems of control and racial bias that continue to plague professional football As the talented quarterback and son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders prepares for his professional debut during the NFL draft we witnessed the same tired narratives that have limited Black excellence in the league for generations In his groundbreaking book Forty Million Dollar Slaves despite its predominantly Black player base maintains a plantation-style structure where primarily white owners and executives hold the power while Black athletes provide the labor and entertainment value The Shedeur Sanders draft shenanigan serves as a perfect case study of this dynamic in action The criticism of Sanders’ confidence is particularly telling When a young Black quarterback displays the same self-assurance that’s celebrated in his white counterparts it’s suddenly labeled as “arrogance” or “attitude problems.” This phenomenon speaks to a larger truth in America: Black confidence is often perceived as a threat to white insecurity A secure sense of self-worth displayed by Black individuals challenges the very foundation of a system designed to keep them doubtful of their value and capabilities The NFL’s history with Black quarterbacks also tells a damning story talented Black signal-callers were either not drafted or relegated to backup roles based on racist assumptions about their intellectual capabilities and leadership potential While we’ve seen progress with stars like Patrick Mahomes the lingering biases remain evident in scouting reports and media coverage that question Black quarterbacks’ decision-making abilities and football IQ Perhaps no tool has been more insidious in perpetuating these stereotypes than the Wonderlic Cognitive Abilities Test 50-question exam has been used to make sweeping judgments about players’ intelligence and potential success despite overwhelming evidence that it is an ineffective predictor of NFL performance A 2005 study by McDonald Mirabile examined this very issue and found no significant correlation between a quarterback’s Wonderlic score and their passer rating Mirabile discovered no meaningful relationship between these test scores and quarterback salaries Yet the NFL continued using this flawed metric for decades with the results often leaked to the media when Black quarterbacks scored lower than their white counterparts patterns emerge that cannot be dismissed as coincidence Teams have historically been hesitant to invest in Black quarterbacks especially those who don’t conform to white standards of behavior and expression long considered the “thinking” role on the team was protected as a bastion of white representation in a league where Black athletes dominate most other positions The parallels to plantation dynamics are impossible to ignore Just as enslaved people with literacy and confidence were viewed as dangerous to the system Black quarterbacks who display intellectual prowess and unapologetic confidence challenge the NFL’s traditional power structure but their purpose remains the same: maintain the hierarchy The Sanders controversy comes at a time when the NFL is still grappling with the fallout from Colin Kaepernick’s protest of taking a knee Kaepernick’s ostracization from the league after his peaceful protest against racial injustice demonstrated how quickly the NFL will discard even talented Black players who challenge the status quo As we watch Shedeur Sanders navigate this system we must recognize that the criticisms of his demeanor aren’t about football – they’re about power They’re about maintaining a structure where Black excellence must be packaged in a way that doesn’t threaten white comfort and situation where whiteness is (or traditionally has been) the norm True progress in the NFL won’t come from simply having more Black quarterbacks It requires dismantling the plantation mentality that permeates the league’s ownership It demands recognizing that confidence isn’t arrogance when it comes from a place of proven ability and hard work Until the NFL addresses these fundamental issues talented young Black quarterbacks like Sanders will continue facing obstacles that have nothing to do with their ability to play football and everything to do with America’s ongoing struggle with race and power How to watch Florida high school baseball: Amer May 6Data SkriveBelen Jesuit High School is on the road versus American Heritage High School - Plantation on Tuesday How to watch Belen Jesuit vs. Amer. Heritage baseballBelen Jesuit and Amer. Heritage will match up on Tuesday, May 6, at 7 p.m. ET. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network The NFHS Network gives you access to live high school sports around the country Follow your favorite team and never miss a game Want to track your alma mater, local team or family member's school throughout the playoffs? NFHS Network has high school baseball streaming live plus on-demand replays and highlights of all the action from thousands of schools across America Watch Amer. Heritage vs. Belen Jesuit on NFHS Network! All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at NFHS Network and through the NFHS Network Mobile Apps for iOS and Android and TV Apps for ROKU JAKARTA — Indonesia’s national human rights commission has found a slew of legal and rights violations in a government-backed project to establish large-scale plantations in the eastern region of Papua The so-called food estate project, categorized by the government as being of strategic national importance, or PSN, aims to clear 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land in Merauke district two-thirds of it for sugarcane plantations and the rest for rice fields — an area 45 times the size of Jakarta launched an investigation after receiving complaints last year from four Indigenous tribes whose ancestral lands overlap with the food estate Khimaima and Yei — alleged that the project violated their land rights and impacted their livelihoods which is funded by the government but operates independently quizzed officials involved in the project from the local and national governments it said it had found indications of land grabbing Komnas HAM said the Indigenous communities hadn’t given consent to transfer or use their customary lands for the project When the government zoned their areas for the food estate project these communities lack strong legal standing to defend their territories as their land rights aren’t formally recognized by the government The only basis for their Indigenous territorial claims is participatory mapping — carried out by themselves — of their lands The Indigenous communities also complained of the intensified presence of the military in their areas Papua has long been the most militarized region of Indonesia But while Jakarta maintains that the heavy security presence there is to counter what it calls “criminal armed groups” affiliated with the West Papua independence campaign the military is now engaged in the food estate project 2,000 troops arrived in Merauke to support the project; military posts had already been established beforehand the military also provided a security escort for a fleet of heavy equipment to build infrastructure for the project in Ilwayab subdistrict “The addition of military forces around forests and Indigenous lands affected by the PSN creates heightened tension,” Komnas HAM wrote in a letter detailing its findings “Although their official role is to support the project their large-scale deployment increases fear among Indigenous people who feel watched and physically threatened.” an environmental NGO that’s been monitoring the project said the government’s decision to deploy armed forces to Merauke indicates the state views Indigenous peoples as a threat to the nation who must be subdued The plantation project’s large-scale monoculture model also threatens Merauke’s biodiverse forests and ecological balance These ecosystems are vital to the livelihood of the Indigenous communities providing traditional food crops like sago and tubers an NGO that works with Indigenous peoples in Papua “They confirm that there is indeed a potential for human rights violations — starting from the formulation of the laws and policies themselves which were done without consultation or consent from local communities to the potential impacts on their way of life,” he told Mongabay Komnas HAM concluded that the food estate project contradicts multiple national regulations protecting Indigenous rights which requires permits and consultation for the use of customary forests — a requirement that in this case wasn’t fulfilled the exclusion of Indigenous peoples violates the principle of participation under the 2012 Land Procurement Law The project also goes against international human rights and environmental standards While Indonesia hasn’t ratified the International Labour Organization’s Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Komnas HAM emphasized that the principles it enshrines — particularly the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and free prior and informed consent (FPIC) — should serve as a benchmark The project’s ongoing deforestation and disruption of Indigenous territories also run counter to Indonesia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework both of which oblige the government to uphold forest conservation Komnas HAM identified five human rights violations in the food estate project The first of these is the right to land and customary territory which is guaranteed under Indonesia’s Constitution The second is the right to a healthy environment also enshrined in the Constitution and the 2009 Environmental Protection Law guaranteed by the Constitution and the 2012 Food Law which mandates that food policies be based on community needs and participation The fourth is the right to participation in decision-making guaranteed by the 2012 Land Procurement Law And the fifth right violated in the project is the right to security as the heavy presence of the military creates psychological pressure and increases fear of intimidation or violence among Indigenous peoples Given these multiple rights and legal violations Komnas HAM issued a number of recommendations for the government It said the government should first increase Indigenous participation in the project planning by ensuring local communities’ active involvement to obtain their FPIC Consent must be obtained not only from tribal or clan chiefs The government must also provide an effective complaint mechanism to address Indigenous communities’ complaints about the project the government must work with Indigenous communities to carry out legally sound and transparent mapping of customary lands to prevent unauthorized land transfers and ensure legal recognition of the communities’ land rights The rights commission also said the government should strengthen policies that acknowledge Indigenous rights to land and territories including decisions over forest use and agricultural land use the government must ensure that projects involving Indigenous land provide fair benefits and promote sustainable development for Indigenous peoples Komnas HAM’s final recommendation is for the government to evaluate the issuance of permits and concessions to companies operating on customary lands prioritizing the interests of Indigenous communities in land-use policies in their areas a commissioner at Komnas HAM who issued the recommendation letter said the commission will continue its inquiries of government officials to ensure the recommendations are carried out the commission’s recommendations are not legally binding Satya Bumi called for the more drastic step of ending the Merauke food estate project entirely “The Komnas HAM recommendation must serve as a loud alarm,” the group said given its potential to wreak systematic destruction of the environment living spaces and the socioeconomic fabric of local communities It added similar measures must be taken to halt other PSN projects elsewhere in the country, which have similarly been the target of human rights violations, such as a solar panel factory on Rempang Island and an oil refinery in Air Bangis And since land grabbing and environmental destruction have already occurred in Merauke the government must restore the rights of the affected communities through compensation and the recovery of customary forests “Efforts to restore rights and guarantee the welfare of communities can serve as evidence that the government upholds its constitutional duty to promote public welfare as written in the 1945 Constitution,” Satya Bumi said then all nationalist claims and rhetoric about prioritizing the people’s interests are empty slogans The group also demanded the withdrawal of military and police forces from PSN locations like Merauke saying their presence has endangered local communities and instilled ongoing fear “The many reckless approaches the government has taken in managing the country through the PSN [designation] reflect how it sees Papua: as empty land,” Satya Bumi said “The promise of equitable development is a sham feel threatened and are forced to face an increasingly difficult existence.” Franky from the Pusaka Foundation said it was unlikely the government would heed any of the calls by civil society groups or even Komnas HAM He said the central government has a track record of ignoring grievances raised by communities and civil society and instead prioritizing the interests of investors and fast-tracking their large-scale projects “The national government must also implement the recommendations because they are responsible for the project,” Franky said Banner image: The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture disseminate information regarding the food estate program at the Uli-Uli village in Ilwayab sub-district FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] TikToker Jalen Noble responded to the rumors that his Texas home, which he shares with his partner, content creator Monet McMichael Noble and McMichael came under fire earlier during the week of April 28 after McMichael posted a video of her and Noble working out at their home gym (they converted a barn on the property) which users believed was the home’s slave quarters in the 1800s Noble made it clear that this is not the case “With this house being built in 1850 I do want to acknowledge the fact that I feel an overwhelming sense of empowerment every time I see [my property],” Noble said in his recent TikTok “There are no ties to slavery on this property I am able to own a house that 175 years ago Noble posted a TikTok about the property back in January 2025 noting that one of the main reasons he bought it was because it had a guest house users were quick to claim that the structure used to be the home’s slave quarters Noble said in his April 2025 video that he reached out to a genealogist and an architectural historian to learn more about the history of his property and learned that the property’s guest house was actually an early settler’s cabin which was then converted into a hunting lodge the other structures on the property are newer: the barn (which is now Noble’s gym) was built in 1999 next it’ll make a perfect mother-in-law suite and then hopefully we can convert it to a larger piece of the main house ❤️ After McMichael posted about the home’s barn-turned-gym on April 25 TikTok users flooded the comment section of her video accusing the couple of being “tone deaf” to “It’s sad to see yall pretend this shouldn’t be a historic piece of land I understand it’s now owned by a black person but that same black person cant even acknowledge what it is (“guest house”),” and another wrote “Oh my god yall live on a plantation breaking in the at home gym with glutes AND it has a built in personal trainer perioddd 💅🏽💕 let’s workout together !! also updated my playlists YAY #fitness #legday While McMichael didn’t respond to the comments (and why should she?) she did repost Noble’s video explaining the history of the property fans are offering their support after the massive amount of criticism she and Noble faced over the internet rumors “I don’t seeeee anyone here apologizing as quick as they came to leave hate comments,” wrote one fan “Now everyone say sorry ms.monettttt.” Home  /  News  /  Clinical Care  /  Cancer “Our ability to provide radiation treatments in the same neighborhood that our patients live in offers a huge convenience,” says Sylvester Director Dr The 40,000-square-foot Sylvester Plantation facility already serves as a hub for leading-edge cancer services, offering state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatments for rare and complex cancers. The addition of the radiation oncology center increases Sylvester’s reach as the only NCI-designated cancer center in the region Patients can now access all non-surgical cancer services in one location outside of the main campus in downtown Miami “Our mission is to reduce the human burden of cancer for South Florida and beyond,” said Sylvester Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., the Oscar de La Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research executive dean for research and professor of medicine biochemistry and molecular biology at the Miller School “Radiation therapy is an effective method of treatment for many patients with cancer Our ability to provide radiation treatments in the same neighborhood that our patients live in offers a huge convenience plus access to world-class radiation therapists that are attracted to working at an NCI-designated cancer center.”   South Florida’s multi-cultural and aging population makes access to quality cancer care more crucial than ever. As cancer rates rise with an aging population, increasing radiation oncology services is essential to meet the growing demand “In a state with the second-highest cancer burden in the U.S. Sylvester is dedicated to improving access and meeting patients where they are bringing the best of academic medicine into the community,” said Javier Milian associate vice president of oncology satellite operations at Sylvester “We are expanding our centers beyond our main campus in a meaningful way identifying clinical gaps and developing tailored programs that address the specific needs of these communities.” Sylvester’s Plantation facility plays a vital role in expanding access to leading-edge clinical research ensuring that patients in Broward County can participate in groundbreaking clinical trials without the need to travel to downtown Miami Significant efforts have been made to equip the Plantation site with the necessary infrastructure and expertise to support high-quality research In the last year alone, more than 150 clinical trials have been opened at this location offering patients innovative treatment options close to home This commitment to expansion has led to more than 80 patients enrolling in studies at the Plantation site reinforcing Sylvester’s mission to reduce the burden of cancer “Clinical trials are the backbone of advancing cancer treatment, offering patients access to the most innovative therapies available,” said Jonathan Trent, M.D., Ph.D., associate director for clinical research at Sylvester and a Miller School professor of medical oncology “We are committed to expanding clinical care ensuring that more patients—regardless of location—can benefit from the latest scientific discoveries.” Sylvester Plantation has offered a full range of diagnostic and treatment capabilities in one location The facility is also equipped with two advanced linear accelerator (LINAC) systems that enable groundbreaking advancements in radiation therapy The Ethos system specializes in adaptive radiotherapy while the Edge system offers unparalleled precision in radiosurgery and advanced treatment techniques “Radiation oncology is advancing rapidly, and having these cutting-edge technologies in the heart of Broward County underscores Sylvester’s commitment to being South Florida’s premier cancer center,” said Markus Bredel, M.D., Ph.D., chairman and Sylvester professor of radiation oncology “These innovations enable us to deliver treatments with unmatched precision faster timelines and improved outcomes.” With specialists from across disease sites under one roof Sylvester Plantation streamlines care for both patients and providers Patients can receive radiation therapy alongside visits to medical oncologists This centralized model enhances communication and coordination discuss options and make real-time decisions to ensure comprehensive treatment plans “Cancer treatment often involves multiple modalities, such as chemotherapy and radiation,” said Alejandra Perez, M.D., director of the breast cancer program at Sylvester Plantation and associate professor of medical oncology at the Miller School patients can seamlessly transition between treatments without the added stress of traveling to different facilities.” reduces disruptions and eliminates the added burden of traveling for treatment Perez’s patients juggle daily treatments with jobs family and other responsibilities and struggle with transportation or symptoms like pain and nausea “Patients with cancer already face overwhelming stress and anxiety,” Dr understands firsthand the strain of long-distance travel for treatment Diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2025 she needed 15 consecutive days of radiation she endured a two-hour roundtrip drive to Deerfield for her 15-minute treatment with her husband taking time off work to accompany her “I’m incredibly grateful for the exceptional care I’ve received from UM and I’m thrilled that my neighbors in Plantation will now have access to this cutting-edge facility,” said Benkendorf The department obtained the prestigious ISRS certification of excellence for stereotactic radiosurgery treatments of brain disorders Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has been […] The cancer center’s outreach programs use educational initiatives and cancer screenings to help at-risk communities Copyright © 2025 University of Miami Health System Best Places to Work in South Carolina An additional portion of Fairfield Plantation is under the protection of Lowcountry Land Trust a nonprofit which protects landscapes and waterways Fairfield Plantation adds 254 acres to protected land in Charleston County Fairfield Plantation adds 254 acres to protected lands Conservation supports Santee Delta’s ecological corridor Property now totals 734 acres under protection since 2013 Charleston Greenbelt Program helped fund preservation The owners of Fairfield Plantation have permanently protected an additional 254 acres of ecologically and historically rich land at the gateway to Charleston County An additional portion of Fairfield Plantation is now under the protection of Lowcountry Land Trust The new allotment adds 254 acres to the plantation on the South Santee River along U.S The expansion reinforces a nearly unbroken corridor of conserved wetlands and forests in the Santee Delta — one of South Carolina’s most treasured natural areas — offering vital habitat protection flood mitigation and scenic preservation for surrounding communities The previous Fairfield Plantation portion conserved by Lowcountry Land Trust was given by the landowners in 2013 “Thanks to this private family’s excellent stewardship and their generous donation of value in placing a conservation easement on the remainder of Fairfield Plantation, the Santee Delta will continue to thrive in its ecologically rich, relatively natural state,” Hunter Allen, a project manager for Lowcountry Land Trust “We’re proud to help secure the future for this remarkable part of the Lowcountry.”  Related: Nonprofit completes $1.7M greenspace project on Johns Island Related: Sea island off Isle of Palms donated to Lowcountry nonprofit The property is near more than 350,000 acres of publicly protected lands including the Francis Marion National Forest Santee Coastal Heritage Preserve and Hampton Plantation State Historic Site Funding from the Charleston County Greenbelt Program helped with the plantation protection project The 7,600 acres includes the remote swamps known as Revolutionary War General Francis Marion’s famous hideou[...] Sign up for your daily digest of Charleston Business News Current CEO will head to a new post in Poland as the Ladson plants welcomes a leader from [...] Stevens Towing has powered coastal transport evolving from mail delivery to hea[...] Blanchard Machinery begins construction on a $65M Calhoun County facility to boost growth American Airlines adds more flights between Charleston and LaGuardia increasing to 3 daily departur[...] A new joint venture acquired 104 affordable housing units in North Charleston for $15M South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis will stay in office for now as the House opts not to act on S[...] Charleston business is the market leader in business media in South Carolina We connect you with decision-makers and stakeholders throughout the state Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Log in for access to the latest digital and special editions — Join Plantation Agriculture Museum State Park staff in celebrating International Museum Day will give guests a sneak peek at how museum artifacts are stored when not on display Discover how the museum acquires and preserves its collection Plantation Agriculture Museum State Park is inviting stuffed animals and plushies for a sleepover at the museum The toys might just get up to a bit of exploring and find out what really happens during a night at the museum Visitors who dropped off their stuffed animals are welcome to pick them up on Sunday between 1 and 5 p.m Let your plushie show you all about their adventures through photos that the museum will share via email Nathan Bryan Whitfield enslaved hundreds of men and children over four decades at his family’s plantations in Alabama and North Carolina He not only forced them to do the backbreaking labor of planting and picking cotton but he also made scores of them walk 700 miles from North Carolina to Demopolis He named his 1,280-acre Demopolis plantation Gaineswood In addition to stooping over rows of cotton amid sweltering heat people enslaved at Gaineswood were forced to do the dangerous underground work of excavating a mile-long drainage canal They were also forced to dig an artificial lake for the Whitfield family’s enjoyment and construct the Greek columns that framed the Whitfields’ opulent home They cooked and served the Whitfields’ meals generated by two plantations in Alabama and one in North Carolina He turned Gaineswood into a temporary headquarters for one of its generals He made enslaved people build fortifications around Demopolis to stop “the Abolitionists,” as he referred to advancing Union troops Whitfield “The Jefferson of Alabama.” Gaineswood’s website calls him “a Renaissance man.” So does the National Trust for Historic Preservation The museum website gives no hint that he was a large-scale enslaver saying only that Gaineswood’s builders “included skilled African Americans (both enslaved and free).” The existing portrayals of Mr and ambition—a man who set out to make his drawing room “the most splendid room in Alabama.” Gaineswood is one of about 375 publicly or privately owned plantation sites scattered across 19 states in the U.S heavily marketed sites like Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens and Middleton Place attract more than half a million visitors a year Compiled by Stephen P. Hanna, published in Potter, Hanna et al, Remembering Enslavement: Reassembling the Southern Plantation Museum (2022), with EJI’s Legacy Sites in Montgomery Today’s plantation landscape reflects the nation’s reluctance to confront the true history of slavery and its legacy of racial injustice. Amy Potter, who studies plantation tourism and is a professor at Georgia Southern University, says telling the truth about this history is a moral imperative when there is a movement across the country to limit the teaching of our history A “plantation edutainment complex” has emerged according to a 2018 National Science Foundation-funded study of 15 plantations in Virginia Commercialized plantation sites tout luxury inns transformed a Louisiana sugar cane plantation into what he calls a “Disneyland for adults.” All the entertainment undercuts efforts to tell truthful history Canadian documentary filmmakers Alex Bezeau and Lauren Cudmore—Cudmore is also an archaeologist and public historian—reached similar conclusions from interviews conducted in 2023 at 20 U.S. plantation sites for their forthcoming documentary, Vacation Plantation a former Louisiana cotton plantation where hundreds of enslaved people were held in bondage and suffered under cruel working conditions staff have recently begun telling a piecemeal history of slavery but the gardens and the restored big house remain the main attractions and “the entryway to telling the big story,” as Louisiana’s parks program manager Raymond Berthelet told the filmmakers Asked about the challenges of telling the slavery history truthfully families may choose not to visit the sites ‘We’re doing a program on the enslaved,’ there is that factor—on a Saturday afternoon do you take the wife and kids?…For a lot of folks Plantation tourism originated after the Civil War when cash-strapped former enslavers began opening their opulent homes to paying visitors glorified the Lost Cause myth of a South that fought the Civil War to preserve not slavery and white supremacy but a “genteel” way of life and enslaved Black people were content and dependent The “moonlight and magnolias” plantation experience gained popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s when many who opposed the civil rights movement wanted to indulge in fantasies of a South that never existed Dylann Roof inside a dwelling at Boone Hall Plantation in Mt Calls for truth-telling at plantations intensified after Dylann Roof’s 2015 massacre of nine Black people at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston taking selfies at slave dwellings and in front of a mansion Though plantations were places where enslaved people were tormented wedding promoters today connect these sites to visions of “love and happily ever after,” as said on a sign at an Alabama antebellum plantation home that hosts weddings many have campaigned against the plantation wedding industry “Plantations are former forced labor camps,” a 2019 Color of Change petition said “They are not party spaces.” The campaign gained momentum after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 Several major wedding planning websites announced steps to limit the promotion of plantation weddings The Knot International urged wedding venues to “avoid language that romanticizes the history of slavery” on its website Zola pledged not to promote “any wedding venue with a history of slavery.” The New York Times stopped publishing announcements of weddings at plantations Yet people are still getting married at plantations Boone Hall has said it hosts an average of 130 weddings a year Many plantations are owned by the original owners’ descendants and still provide income and profit to families who gained wealth through enslaved labor Advertisements rarely disclose this history and instead tout the spaces as idyllic and romantic Mixed messages on the plantations themselves abound Boone Hall houses a Black history exhibit in restored slave dwellings while also promoting weddings on the “historic Cotton Dock.” Middleton Place offers an extensively researched presentation on the more than 2,800 people enslaved by the Middleton family—and “an unforgettable setting for one-of-a-kind weddings,” with 10 locations on the former plantation to choose from Besides hosting weddings, Houmas House, on the Mississippi between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, offers three restaurants, a bar, an inn, and tours of the house and gardens—but guides avoid mentioning the site’s history of mass enslavement. “If you want a tour of slavery,” owner Kevin Kelly told an interviewer in 2021 “you go someplace else.” Viking Cruises and two other cruise lines offer stops at the former plantation Kelly once staged a lavish “wedding” of his two dogs at Houmas House He has said that talking about the site’s enslavement history would be like “trying to tell the story at Disneyland of how poorly the employees at Disney are treated.” When it opened in April 2015 on James Island McLeod Plantation Historic Site set itself apart from other plantation sites by centering the stories of enslaved people and their descendants McLeod also promoted itself as a wedding venue as a way to support the educational mission according to the Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission Instead, as Amy Potter found in her research, for many, weddings at McLeod undermined the “larger moral imperative” of the mission. In her 2022 book, Remembering Enslavement, Reassembling the Southern Plantation Museum Potter quotes one interpreter at McLeod on the dissonance staff and visitors experienced in trying to focus on the suffering of enslaved people while hearing members of a bridal party preparing for a wedding: People are downstairs reading these banners about slavery and asked to consider what their lives were like And then there are six women up here giggling and spraying hairspray and playing music That dissonance sharpened after the Charleston massacre who had subscribed to the Lost Cause mythology 2015—two months before he entered the church in Charleston and started shooting Black people praying at a Bible study group “[Dylann Roof] changed everything,” public historian Shawn Halifax, a former McLeod director of cultural interpretation, said at a 2020 International Coalition of Sites of Conscience webinar discussion about whether places that tell the history of atrocities should hold weddings and other events “It changed our approach and our understanding of this site and the placement of historic context It altered how we thought about the site and the kinds of activities that should be here.” In 2019, after joining the Coalition of Sites of Conscience McCleod announced it would stop hosting weddings (those already scheduled were grandfathered in) The Memoriam hosts an exhibition above the courtroom where It would be unthinkable to host weddings in such a space “I’m sure there’s no one who would like to get married in front of [convicted Nazi war criminals] Göring and Hess and Streicher.” Two young girls at The Oaks Plantation in Goose Creek There has been an effort to modify the narrative about slavery in some spaces There is a section at Gaineswood titled “Contributions of Enslaved People” with descriptions of enslaved people doing work at the plantation an annotated guide to the Whitfield papers that is displayed in the main exhibit room highlights correspondence between Mr Whitfield and his agent involving an enslaved man “William needed a doctor after a serious injury (his thigh bone came out),” the guide recounts “but the doctor’s bill would be ‘worth more than the negro.’’’ Those five words Multiple people enslaved by the Whitfields risked their lives seeking freedom by escaping Whitfield family papers reveal that men named Isaac and Dick escaped the Whitfields’ North Carolina plantation in 1826 but were captured 150 miles north—halfway to freedom a woman who had escaped four months after Nathan Whitfield enslaved her Enslaved people’s escapes from plantations in Alabama’s Black Belt were so commonplace that a white resident of Jefferson the town where the Whitfields had their second Alabama plantation advertised himself in 1861 as a “negro hunter” equipped with a “pack of trained hounds.” many Americans have sought to romanticize and legitimate slavery “There is no acceptable or humane way to torture someone in bondage to engage in sexual assault and abusive violence There is similarly no acceptable way to enslave another human being,” said EJI executive director Bryan Stevenson “Confronting this reality is going to be essential in overcoming the legacy of slavery and the multiple ways it has fueled racial injustice that still persists Recovering from horrific eras of extreme abuse requires transitional justice In thinking about how plantations tell the history of slavery Amy Potter also points to Germany and its teaching of the Holocaust “They’re openly talking about that history But many Americans still sugarcoat slavery or avoid the topic “We ran from it and romanticized it,” she said Plantations have become central to many of the distortions Justice Department Abandons Lowndes County Residents Suffering Longstanding Sewage Problems New Reporting on Alabama’s Unsafe and Inhumane Prisons Subscribe to our newsletter More than fifteen thousand people are awaited on Saturday and… The great novelty of autumn is the meeting of chestnuts,… hiding costs or “trickling” them – dark patterns… A record number of corporate mergers took place in Hungary… As May marks the last month of spring and the… Hivatalos Matesz audit adatok Trade Magazin Retail chain ranking 2023 Retail chain ranking 2022 Retail chain ranking 2021 Telefon: +36 30 826 4158 © 2023 GRABOWSKI Kiadó Kft | Minden jog fenntartva The new couple makes a grand entrance down the staircase inside the reception hall A wedding on the steps of the restored church at Wildwood Plantation Brooklyn Cox Yarborough and her husband Jordan pose for pictures in front of the covered bridge that her father built What started as a mission to save a dilapidated church has blossomed into one of the most charming wedding venues in the area it was a labor of love and a tribute to his family Cox frequently attended Bethesda United Methodist Church but the cost and effort to move and restore it deterred most potential takers Someone finally committed to move it but never followed through “One day I rode by and noticed the vines growing over it and the ceilings sagging,” Cox recalled “The next day I called and told them I would take it he didn’t envision it as a business venture Cox was going to move the church about three miles to his farm and use it for family gatherings He and his wife Wendy have built a busy life own multiple businesses and had no intensions of adding another one to their plate “We always had Christmas at my grandmother’s house,” Cox said so I decided I would move the old church and use it for our family gatherings.” suggested turning the church into a wedding venue that Wildwood Plantation began to take shape Boyd had dreamed of opening a wedding venue of her own after retirement “Church in the Wildwood,” she named the property Boyd said she and Elaine Floyd also chose many of the plants and trees that can be seen throughout the venue “We picked mostly Southern favorites like hydrangea The vision started to come together when Cox and Boyd chose two majestic oaks on the property that the church doors would face shared her own vision of what she wanted her future wedding to look like She envisioned walking up a long path through the crowd and to the front of the church The church was reoriented to accommodate this new vision and a few years later Brooklyn’s wedding became the venue’s first official celebration "Daddy told me it probably wouldn't be ready before my wedding It was special to me that he did that because it was my great-grandparents' church." with its original fellowship hall featuring warm wood paneling and beautiful hardwood floors The original pews were missing so Cox enlisted the help of his friend to build 16 rustic pews for the inside of the church complete with chandeliers and a staircase for couples to make a grand entrance The walls inside the reception hall were covered with wood cut from trees that once stood on the property guests are treated to scenic walking trails and even a wagon fitted with church pews to shuttle wedding attendees from the parking area to the ceremony Another of the most prominent features is the picture-worthy covered bridge built from salvaged wood I never intended to use the church as a wedding venue,” Cox said “I just hated to see the old church torn down I’m just glad to see people using it for something.” new life has been given to a place that once was abandoned and forgotten Today this church is part of a venue that combines rustic elegance with natural beauty making it an ideal location for couples seeking something unique for their special day For more information or to book a tour of Wildwood Plantation Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The Nature Conservancy and UC Santa Barbara release the first comprehensive maps of coconut agriculture this pervasive land cover change has profoundly altered ecosystems and hydrologic resources potentially affecting atoll communities’ resilience to climate change and other environmental stressors Coconut palms are king throughout the tropics serving as the foundation for human lives and cultures across the Pacific Ocean for centuries 200 years of planting by colonial interests transformed the palm from the revered “Tree of Life” to a cash crop monoculture grown on Pacific atolls for a singular purpose—production of coconut oil (copra) for export around the world Despite wide interest in the global footprint of palm crops the distribution of coconut palms across tropical Pacific atolls has received little attention Published in Environmental Research Letters research from The Nature Conservancy and UC Santa Barbara provides the first comprehensive map of the vast footprint of coconut palm agriculture across nearly every Pacific atoll "Coconut oil used to be essential to atoll economies but today most coconut palm plantations are abandoned and overgrown,” says lead author Michael Burnett of UC Santa Barbara “With the growing climate threats facing Pacific atolls it's critical to figure out where these abandoned plantations are using up critical land and water resources and where there may be opportunities to restore the native forests to the benefit of islands and islanders.”   Coconut palms now represent over half of the tree cover on these low islands ​confining ​​     ​formerly widespread native broadleaf trees ​to small fractions of their natural ​range “That’s a problem,” says Burnett, “because replacement of broadleaf forests with coconut monocrops has been linked to groundwater depletion, declining seabird populations, and adverse impacts on adjacent coral reefs Understanding the present extent of coconut plantations is crucial for confronting sustainability challenges facing communities across the Pacific’s 266 atolls.”   This loss of unique ​​ecosystems​ on Pacific atolls is staggering. It​ ​even ​exceeds​ the rate of deforestation ​due to oil palm production, at least ​in relative terms, in other parts of the world​.​​ For instance, 10.8% of Borneo’s land area had been converted to oil palm monocrops by 2015 ​coconut palms presently cover 58.3% of the mapped atolls’ total forested area and 24.1% of their total land area ​51.2% of these coconut canopies occur in monocultures indicative of plantation agriculture and drastic ecological changes.​ Despite the abandonment of many plantations in recent decades the authors found that coconut palms still surpass native broadleaf trees in terms of canopy area.​ ​Yet forest conversion on Pacific atolls has scarcely received a fraction of the scholarly attention devoted to mapping oil palm-driven forest conversion.​​  coconut palm plantations have ​untapped potential for ecosystem restoration The paper’s vegetation maps are a first step in helping Pacific atoll communities visualize the state of their forests and evaluate the potential best uses—for coconut production ​“Coconuts and coconut trees are deeply woven into the lives and livelihoods of Pacific peoples and communities Micronesia Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy restoring abandoned copra plantations on atolls to native forests offer invaluable ecological benefits such as biodiversity recovery and climate resilience Striking a balance between cultural heritage and environmental stewardship is essential for a sustainable future Mapping the extent of copra plantations on atolls is a crucial step for informed decision-making Helping to provide a clearer picture of land use enabling us to balance economic needs with ecological restoration and climate adaption efforts.”    Ecosystem management projects, including the conversion of abandoned coconut plantations to native forests and the restoration of seabird colonies Yet these are invariably multi-year endeavors and such efforts must be pursued with urgency by local stakeholders to achieve resilience in the face of accelerating climate impacts “These maps,” says Burnett, “are part of a growing body of science exploring the numerous opportunities for conservation and resilience on atolls We hope they will help atoll communities chart their own futures in an era of global change.”   and all scripts used for statistical analyses are also available on Dryad Original satellite imagery cannot be shared publicly; all other data are available in the main text or the Dryad repository Whatcom County is starting down the road of an environmental cleanup project at the lead-contaminated Plantation Rifle Range that could cost the county $13.8 million the $1.68 million project to update the 40-year-old HVAC system in the indoor range could be finished by this fall.  Plantation Rifle Range, on Samish Way south of Bellingham, is one of only two publicly owned ranges in the state and has been closed since November 2022 due to hazardous waste on the site. Cascadia Daily News reported in 2023 that through 50 years of operation Whatcom County never conducted lead cleanup or mitigation leaving decades of debris to contaminate the soil and creek on the property The county has entered into an agreement with the state Department of Ecology to address the legacy of hazardous waste. Cleanup has been delayed multiple times and cost estimates have ramped up from $1 million to $6.5 million because the level of lead contamination was more widespread than the original estimates Whether or not the outdoor range reopens will be determined through a feasibility study In a presentation to the Whatcom County Council on Tuesday the county parks department and representatives from Ecology gave an update on the cost and upcoming steps The worst-case scenario for cleanup cost is around $13.8 million parks operations manager Christ Thomsen told council members That estimate includes removing almost 20,000 tons of polluted soil trucking it out of state for safe disposal restoring the natural areas and continuing to monitor the site An Ecology grant could cover up to half the cost of the project the county cannot legally stop funding the work “Cleanup costs a lot of money,” Christa Colouzis the corrective action unit supervisor with Ecology “It costs much less to do it right the first time.”  The next step in the process is a feasibility study which will give a clearer picture of the costs and benefits of different options After opening the study to public input and responding to comments the county and Ecology will select an alternative draft a cleanup action plan and design the remediation project.  During public outreach in 2024, Ecology received more than 50 comments about the range, and the vast majority of respondents asked that the range be reopened as soon as possible. When ranges like Plantation close, it can lead people to practice in unmanaged areas on public or private land which can pose health and safety risks for others and for the environment While many residents want the range back open the county says more information is needed. There will be opportunities for public comment throughout the process “We’ll be in the position to discuss the level and character of outdoor range opportunities offered and have those discussions be informed by community input,” Knox said Unrelated to the outdoor lead contamination issues, the indoor shooting range closed June 2021 for a long-overdue HVAC and roof replacement. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system had failed about a decade prior, meaning dangerous lead dust accumulated in the facility The project was bid out for around $1 million but supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 and limited parks department capacity forced a long period of inactivity partway through installation.  The contractor started work again in late 2024 but because the project sat dormant for so long weather damage repairs and start-up procedures are necessary The final cost of the renovation will be a little more than $1.68 million the indoor range generated around $250,000 per year in revenue from the public and law enforcement agencies and Knox said he expects the range to reach pre-COVID levels of visitation — there’s “a lot of interest” from law enforcement to use the facility again as well as the Department of Homeland Security have contracted with the facility in the past The executive’s office has a new senior policy and project manager who has been assisting the parks department with the range project, but another staffer may come on board to oversee the facility renovation and the environmental cleanup. In February, the county posted a job opening for a temporary Plantation Rifle Range special projects manager Whatcom County Deputy Executive Aly Pennucci explained that a dedicated project manager would coordinate with Ecology organize public outreach and oversee the work of the consultant and the HVAC project contractor The new hire could earn up to $130,000 per year for two years The position was approved to be funded out of the range reclamation and capital improvement fund so the cost is included in the overall project estimates but Pennucci said a final decision hasn’t been made on actually filling the position due to ongoing budget discussions the parks department is developing a staffing and operations plan for the range and getting the inside ready for business Knox said he’s “feeling pretty confident” it could reopen by fall 2025 Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com Email newstips@cascadiadaily.com or Call/Text 360-922-3092 PLANTATION – An FBI SWAT team raid at a Plantation apartment Wednesday led to the arrest of a 38-year-old man for sharing child sexual abuse videos online Leer en español Carl Cunningham was using the messaging app Kik to send and receive illicit content The complaint states that the investigation into Cunningham began on Feb after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children forwarded a tip from Kik to Plantation police that he had uploaded 39 videos to his account in November 2024 some of whom were “clearly and obviously” under 10 years old A search warrant of his account revealed additional videos Authorities said they also discovered chat messages where he discussed sharing child sexual abuse material as well as messages where he talked about how he “seeks out children for sexual encounters while bragging about his past sexual experiences.” he described grooming and raping a 12-year-old girl Authorities said they were able to identify Cunningham through his IP address and pictures of himself he uploaded through Kik including a picture he uploaded of himself holding two fingers to his face he sent as verification in order to re-access a group chat sharing child sexual abuse material They said they were also able to connect the account to Cunningham from his “Everyman Tactical” YouTube channel where he handled and reviewed various guns he once owned a gun store of the same name in the Houston suburb of Humble Authorities said they surveilled Cunningham’s apartment building at 6851 Cypress Road multiple times in late March authorities said Cunningham denied having a Kik account He’s now facing federal charges of possession and distribution of child pornography and appeared in Fort Lauderdale federal court Wednesday morning He’s scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing Friday morning and is set to be arraigned April 23 he was being held in the Broward Main Jail on behalf of the U.S Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved Chris Gothner joined the Local 10 News team in 2022 as a Digital Journalist TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world The mansions at 1 Plantation Road in Hong Kong The homes at 1 Plantation Road offer unobstructed views XLinkedInEmailLinkGiftFacebookXLinkedInEmailLinkGiftBy April 16 2025 at 7:00 PM EDTBookmarkSaveWhen fear grips the markets and it looks like there’s nowhere to hide luxury property might be an enticing investment option for the ultra rich One of Hong Kong’s most prestigious developers is testing whether that holds true even in a city that’s been struggling with a property downturn for years The proof of concept is a clutch of new mansions on a historic site — at one of the world’s swankiest addresses SUNRISE – A Broward County man is facing serious charges after police said he caused a deadly crash last month Leer en español on March 11 at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Northwest Eighth Street in Sunrise officers first arrived to the crash scene and found both vehicles badly damaged was driving a 2015 Tesla and the victim was driving a 2021 GMC Terrain was trapped inside her vehicle when they arrived rescue crews immediately began life-saving treatment before rushing her to Broward Health Medical Center She was not able to be interviewed by investigators as she never regained consciousness following the crash Investigators said the victim was making a left turn onto Eighth Street when her vehicle was struck by the Tesla It was determined by police that Baquero was traveling 45 mph over the posted speed limit in a highly populated area near Sawgrass Mills Mall during a busy time of day Using video evidence captured from multiple sources including red light cameras and a Tesla vehicle camera investigators determined the high rate of speed combined with a “last-minute lane change” revealed that Baquero “was trying to beat the light at NW 8th Street.” An arrest report also stated that Baquero had a passenger in the front seat who was 15 years old David Dwork joined the WPLG Local 10 News team in August 2019 David has covered South Florida sports since 2007 Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. Roy Ramos Leer en español The discovery brings to an end a decades-old cold case Volunteers with Sunshine State Sonar say they found the remains of missing Broward mother Libby Ann Dibenedetto her car was located in a retention pond off of Sunrise Boulevard and Flamingo Road on Sunday Dibenedetto was reported missing in 2000 after a night out with friends at Duke’s Bar and Grill in Davie Libby’s last known action was making a phone call to her therapist from a payphone near N Pine Island Rd and West Sunrise Boulevard,” Sunshine State Sonar posted on its Facebook page Tuesday and her gold 1996 Toyota Camry was never found Libby was 35 years old at the time of her disappearance and the mother of three young children.” Dibenedetto’s car was found at the bottom of the 13-feet-deep pond “Very sad to think that she has been here this whole time Hopefully the family will get some closure now,” Dulcita Bare Sunshine State Sonar searched about 400 bodies of water and deployed their team to 36 of those They are just hopeful now that finding Dibenedetto will provide some closure to her family Roy Ramos joined the Local 10 News team in 2018 Roy is a South Florida native who grew up in Florida City He attended Christopher Columbus High School Homestead Senior High School and graduated from St A World Bank watchdog detailed allegations of displacement, pollution and other serious harms at the company, and criticized the global development agency’s handling of the project. For over a year, the World Bank’s private investment arm delayed the release of a damning internal report detailing its failure to adequately address alleged land grabs, environmental pollution and other serious harms at a rubber company it financed in Liberia. By the time the International Finance Corporation released the report in mid-March, the business’s former owner, a Luxembourg-based agricultural giant called Socfin Group, had divested, handing control over its 17-square-mile plantation to a new owner. Advocates for 22 communities affected by the problems told ICIJ the sale allowed Socfin and the IFC to minimize their responsibility for addressing harm done to workers and plantation residents, adding to longstanding criticisms of the World Bank’s handling of damages caused by projects it finances. The IFC is owned by 186 countries and the businesses it finances have to meet certain standards for managing environmental and social risks. Alfred Brownell, a human rights lawyer who has spent nearly a decade assisting plantation workers and nearby residents resolve their complaints, placed responsibility for the problems surrounding the rubber company — known as the Salala Rubber Corporation or SRC — squarely on the IFC. “The harm is because of their lack of due care, due diligence. They had responsibilities and they failed in those responsibilities,” he said, then let its former owner, Socfin, “walk away.” Asked to comment on the watchdog report, the IFC said in a statement: “Throughout the life of the investment, IFC has endeavored to foster the capacity of SRC to address the significant social and environmental challenges it faced.” Socfin said in a statement that it “developed and published an action plan that addresses these concerns, and … continues to work on this action plan even after the sale of SRC, demonstrating our commitment to long-term improvements.” Speaking to ICIJ, community representatives say that conditions on the plantation have only worsened since August, when Socfin sold SRC to its current owner, Jeety Rubber.  In a press release about the sale, Socfin said it had decided to sell “following several years of sustained losses.” Work on the plantation was temporarily halted following June protests over pay and labor conditions that turned violent and ended with SRC’s offices in flames. Since the sale, contractors are earning less and there are new restrictions on movement around the plantation, the community representatives said, further alleging that police have threatened workers and residents there. SRC employs about 900 people. In response to questions from ICIJ about current conditions on the plantation, Socfin wrote that it no longer has “operational oversight” of SRC, adding that “these questions are now under the new management’s responsibility, therefore we cannot further comment.” Jeety did not respond to questions from ICIJ about the arrests and current conditions on the plantation. The Liberian National Police did not respond to requests for comment. In December 2023, investigators from one of the World Bank’s internal watchdogs, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman, presented the IFC with a 108-page report. It said that, for more than a decade, the organization had failed to adequately “assess and monitor the environmental and social (E&S) risks and impacts” of SRC’s operations and ensure that the company met the IFC’s standards. World Bank policies gave the IFC 50 business days after receiving the report to prepare an action plan explaining how it would respond to the findings and to submit that plan to its board of directors. Instead, IFC postponed the submission for over a year until mid-January. The IFC published the watchdog report and its action plan in mid-March following a meeting of its board in Washington. In response to questions from ICIJ about the delay, the IFC said that “given the four-year gap since IFC has had an investment in SRC, IFC requested additional time to allow for meaningful engagement with the former client and complainants in composing an implementable Management Action Plan. This process was further delayed by violent protests at SRC’s office in June and the subsequent sale of SRC by Socfin.” SRC repaid its loan to IFC on schedule in March 2020. Liberia is one of the world’s poorest countries. Rubber and timber are its main exports and the vast majority of its population of 5.5 million works in agriculture. In 2008, the IFC agreed to loan SRC $10 million to help rehabilitate and expand its rubber plantation, located about a three-hour drive from the capital Monrovia and the site of horrific violence during Liberia’s civil wars fought between 1989 and 1997, and 1999 and 2003. Socfin took full ownership of the plantation in 2009. In preparation for the loan, IFC visited the plantation and drew up a list of problems for SRC, then one of the country’s largest rubber producers, to address. It also instructed SRC to prepare a report to assess certain risks its operations might pose to the environment and local community. On its website, IFC wrote that SRC had agreed to take steps to prevent a panoply of possible issues and concerns ranging from child labor to the use of harmful insecticides. However, the IFC’s board signed off on the loan before SRC had completed its report or the actions outlined in the IFC’s remediation plan, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman found, adding that, without the report, there was no way for the IFC to properly assess the project’s potential harms. The need for proper due diligence was especially acute because of the plantation’s history, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman wrote. “At the time of IFC’s investment, Liberia was a newly post-conflict state,” it noted, and the plantation “was used as a rebel base where there were reports of atrocities being committed, leading to mass exodus of settlements in the plantation. These conditions would indicate the need for added vigilance during IFC’s pre-investment review.” When the IFC finally received SRC’s report, it deemed it “inadequate,” but gave SRC the funds anyway. Problems quickly became apparent. The IFC repeatedly visited SRC and found its social and environmental protection procedures deficient. Then, in 2013, it received a complaint from an NGO alleging that SRC had pushed people off their land and polluted local drinking water, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman said. SRC refuted the reports. Nevertheless, in 2015, the IFC and Socfin entered negotiations for a second round of financing, the report said, noting that “IFC anticipated that this investment would give it leverage to instigate improvements at SRC.” Due diligence at the time uncovered serious concerns about the company’s impact on the environment and local communities, but when the deal fell through, the report continued, the IFC’s supervision of SRC “effectively ceased.” Then in 2019, a team of investigators from Bread for All, a Swiss aid organization, worked with Liberian advocacy groups to publish a report on SRC, detailing a variety of alleged human rights violations — past and present — on the plantation. “Life and work on the plantations is marked by violence,” the group wrote in its report. “The statements from many people who live on or near the plantations suggest a climate of fear.” At the time, Socfin called Bread for All’s accusations “greatly exaggerated in its context if not incorrect.” The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman launched its investigation in October of the following year, it wrote in its report,  but staff were not able to visit SRC because of the pandemic. In the meantime, SRC declined mediation with the complainants after questioning the ombudsman’s impartiality and the legitimacy of the complaints. In its response to the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman’s report, the IFC wrote that because SRC repaid its loan in March 2020, it has “no control or leverage over the effective implementation and results of the SRC’s actions.” Socfin told ICIJ that it is “open to potentially cooperating with the IFC,” but it is currently focused on working with Jeety, the new owners, to carry out its own set of reforms outlined in a separate report by the Earthworm Foundation. In 2023, after complaints about SRC surfaced in the media, Socfin asked the organization, of which it has been a paying member since 2017, to review its operations on the plantation. The report, released in July 2023, validated complaints about sexual harassment by SRC employees and violence by police responding to calls from SRC security. It found that the company had not sufficiently compensated some people for lost crops, among other problems. The report included recommendations that largely mirror those made later by the IFC. But Brownell, the human rights lawyer, and other advocates question whether Socfin will honor its promise to work with Jeety to implement Earthworm’s recommendations. In its action plan, IFC said that “in light of recent security challenges at the plantation” it has yet to begin work on its own remediation plans, which include a community fund. Community representatives in Liberia told ICIJ that the IFC’s recommendations don’t go far enough anyway and point to a glaring omission: financial compensation for indigenous people displaced by SRC’s operations. The IFC’s performance standards require resettlement or compensation for indigenous communities displaced by IFC-backed projects. In a response to the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman’s report, the IFC said it had concluded that the indigenous label did not apply to the affected population, therefore it was “unable to respond to this recommendation.” For Stephanie Amoako, policy director at Accountability Counsel, the IFC’s response to the SRC complaint is part of a pattern of behavior that raises larger questions about the institution’s commitment to addressing harms caused by its financing. “This is not the first time that the IFC has delayed and not stepped up,” she said. In the SRC case, she sees parallels with the IFC’s investment in Bridge International Academies, which operates private schools in Africa. Freshfields concluded that there had been no “intent to obstruct or frustrate” the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman investigation into the Bridge scandal, but that the “IFC could have cooperated with the CAO investigation in a more timely, efficient, and rigorous manner.” Amoako, whose organization advocates for people affected by international development projects and is representing some of the children harmed during the Bridge investment, said that, despite the two reports, the IFC has not yet directly addressed the harms done to the survivors her organization represents. Help us change the world. Get our stories by email. In the case of SRC, the exit was not early. Nevertheless, its formal relationship with the IFC ended once the loan had been repaid, the watchdog noted in its report, making it harder for the institution to respond to the problems the watchdog had found. That has not, however, stopped the IFC from repeatedly asserting that that SRC will be responsible for implementing key elements of remediation efforts outlined in the action plan it presented to the board in March. “IFC’s response to CAO’s recommendations is to seek to work closely with SRC to strengthen its E&S management system and stakeholder engagement program,” it wrote. In response to questions from ICIJ, Socfin told ICIJ that it had not received a copy of the IFC’s action plan ahead of its publication in mid-March, and that the company had last discussed the plan with the IFC in July, before it sold SRC to Jeety. When ICIJ asked Jeety a few days before the report’s release if it intended to cooperate with the IFC on its plan, the company reacted with surprise. “We have not received the CAO report or IFC’s management action plan and therefore cannot comment on its specifics,” a Jeety representative wrote in an email. “Please let us know if you are able to share the report you mentioned or any relevant documents that would allow us to engage with you in a more informed manner.” La llegada de las aplicaciones de citas, donde aparece otro interés amoroso con solo deslizar a la derecha, no ha fomentado el sentido de compromiso Employee Raina Pierce also says she was disciplined for behaviors her non-Black coworkers were not at Elon Musk’s Tesla plant in Fremont, California Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Employee Raina Pierce also says she was disciplined for behaviors her non-Black coworkers were not at Elon Musk’s Tesla plant in Fremont I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elon Musk’s Tesla has settled a racial discrimination lawsuit after a Black employee sued the company alleging a manager sometimes greeted her by saying “welcome to the plantation” and “welcome to the slave house.” who installed latches on car doors at Tesla’s Fremont finalized a settlement agreement with the automaker on Thursday according to a filing in San Francisco federal court was called a gender-based insult and saw racial slurs scrawled on bathroom walls Pierce also said she was yelled at and disciplined for behaviors that her non-Black coworkers were not one Tesla employee who temporarily joined her line told Pierce to speak out “You need to go to HR because these leads are saying things about you that are not right,” the employee said The Independent has contacted Tesla’s attorney and Pierce’s attorneys for comment This isn’t the first racial discrimination lawsuit to come out of Tesla’s Fremont plant Last year, Tesla settled a 2017 harassment lawsuit with former elevator operator Owen Diaz, who is Black. Diaz said he heard racial slurs daily, saw swastikas drawn throughout the plant and witnessed other racist conduct, Reuters reports The settlement ended appeals from both sides after a jury awarded Diaz $3.2 million in damages in 2023 Diaz was also awarded $137 million by a different jury in 2021 A new trial was ordered and Diaz refused a lower amount of $15 million A class action lawsuit involving thousands of former and current Black employees and contractors is also set to go before a jury this fall, according to Bryan Schwartz Law. The workers say they’ve been called racist slurs and seen racist graffiti while experiencing discrimination and harassment at the plant. The workers are seeking a court order that would bar the company “from maintaining a hostile work environment on the basis of race,” and would mandate harassment training for all Tesla employees, according to the law firm. The company has denied the claims in court filings. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies A Black employee at Tesla's Fremont, California plant (pictured) sued Elon Musk's company after claiming a manager greeted employees by saying 'welcome to the plantation' govt and politics"},{"score":0.790946,"label":"/automotive and vehicles/electric vehicles"},{"score":0.750179,"label":"/society"},{"score":0.741195,"label":"/society/racism"},{"score":0.585661,"label":"/society/work"},{"score":0.561052,"label":"/law PLANTATION, Fla. – Donnamarie Myers described herself on Zillow as a “Real Estate Diva.” But authorities accuse the Plantation woman of being a real estate deceiver Leer en español is accused of netting nearly $200,000 from a home rental and purchasing scam that she conducted after her real estate license was revoked in March 2021 after complaints from “victims and real estate agents.” State records show she’s had five complaints for “unlicensed activity” since Authorities said that unlicensed activity is what landed her behind bars on four felonies Thursday a full seven of which were redacted by Broward prosecutors “active criminal intelligence and active criminal investigation information,” Plantation police had been notified of “several cases” involving Myers Plantation Police Department investigators said Myers was acting as an agent to “facilitate” the rental and purchase of homes and was collecting deposits “Myers requested that the victims send her payments via wire transfer Zelle and/or Venmo,” a detective wrote in the Feb “Myers assured all of these victims that their funds would be deposited into escrow accounts toward the rental/purchase of a home these payments went to her personal accounts not Escrow accounts as is the proper procedure when working with a Realtor.” Police said the victims were never able to rent or buy the homes and “have not been reimbursed for their funds lost.” Authorities said she made $197,224 from the scheme The remaining unredacted portions of the affidavit provided no additional information Myers turned herself in at the Broward County Main Jail Thursday to surrender to charges of first-degree grand theft defrauding a financial institution and identity theft visitors to the Hampton National Historic Site could tour what was once one of the country’s grandest houses and learn about the Ridgely family’s vast landholdings They could marvel at the deep reds and bright yellows of the parlors the whale-oil-lamp chandeliers in the dining room the grand gardens outside next to a giant cedar tree What they wouldn’t hear about were the more than 500 enslaved men and women who made the empire possible: the iron workers who forged the cannons the gardeners who painstakingly dug out those terraced showpieces They were the backbone of the plantation and the 25,000 acres over which it sprawled — an area now covered by thousands of private homes in Towson Hampton’s story began to change in 1999, when the National Park Service opened the property’s enslaved quarters on occasional weekends which sits on land once part of the plantation a neighborhood where many formerly enslaved families settled to tell the history of how slavery affected three distinct places The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. Hampton is the first home acquired by the National Park Service — in 1947 Staff declined to speak about any possible changes; the main Park Service spokesperson would not comment Several partners have said that it’s the website that elucidates the history of Black land and people in northern Baltimore County while more inclusive than it was 25 years ago For example, a guide recently lauded the Ridgelys for freeing Nancy Davis, one of the children’s beloved caregivers. It does not mention that, when the Ridgelys freed Nancy’s mother decades earlier, they kept Nancy enslaved, separating her from her mother. That information is on the website The threat of erasure of Black history after the painstaking work to reconstruct it alarms LaRoche Many former plantation sites in Maryland barely mention slavery let alone undertake complex studies with federal support “No one has done what Hampton has done,” she said “We have elevated the accuracy for all of the people visiting And we have given this history back to the people of Hampton.” Hampton’s history also explains how Baltimore County became one of Maryland’s most segregated counties, according to Towson University anthropologist Sam Collins First, the end of slavery in Maryland in 1864 unraveled the plantation economy. The Ridgelys unloaded large chunks of land, but only to white farmers. In 1929, the Ridgelys founded the Hampton Development Co. and attached covenants that read in part: “at no time shall the land included in said tract or any part thereof be occupied by a Negro or a person of Negro extraction.” Other white farmers that developed land followed this practice Some Towson neighborhoods still have these racist covenants on the books even though they were nullified by fair-housing laws more than 50 years ago and are no longer enforceable came zoning changes that reinforced segregation and an all-white County Council controlling it when the county carved out a majority-Black district on the west side and voters there elected their first African-American representative It remains the only county district with a Black councilman With about 120,000 residents in each district Hampton’s Black families settled where they could buy property including in the East Towson and Sandy Bottom communities Politicians rezoned and destroyed Sandy Bottom in the 1970s when they built the county’s jail and several shopping centers along York Road northwest of downtown Towson Charles Ridgely derisively called the area “a haven of rest to the emancipated darkies” and said he frequently recognized some of his formerly enslaved men and women among them the institutions that formerly enslaved Marylanders built — churches community centers and benevolent societies — remain Nancy Goldring, president of the Northeast Towson Improvement Association, said circumstances there are far better than in 1853, when one freed slave, Daniel Harris paid $187.50 for little more than an acre and founded the community But the struggles continue — a bypass road an electrical substation and multiple affordable housing developments have cut into the community East Towson had 300 families in the 1920s; it has fewer than 75 today “African Americans in East Towson are directly connected to enslavement terror environmental injustice and the continued breach of our civil rights,” Goldring said in a speech to the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project in 2022 “These practices may have become or grown more subtle in their execution but they have not stopped or been mitigated in their determination to go forth.” Goldring continues to work with Goucher and the Park Service on a planned land bridge to connect the three properties She said she is finally “able to see a positive If the Trump administration pushes the removal of LaRoche’s research the solution is not to lie about it,” LaRoche said Rona Kobell rona.kobell@thebaltimorebanner.com Rona Kobell is a regional reporter covering Baltimore County she worked as an environmental reporter in the region for nearly 20 years at The Baltimore Sun and The Chesapeake Bay Journal Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. 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If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com As soon as you set foot on our campus you will know you’ve found the place you can call home JONESBORO — This spring the Lakeport Plantation Museum an Arkansas State University Heritage Site will host a reading retreat focusing on the Mississippi River on Saturday   The retreat will focus on two books “Wicked River: The Mississippi When it Last Ran Wild,” written by Lee Sandlin This book describes the landscape and tribulations of the Mississippi River from the early 1800s through the siege of Vicksburg in 1863 when the Mississippi River Valley was the western edge of the United States “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi,” by Boyce Upholt This book traces the history of the Mississippi to levee building in the modern era.  The retreat is $45 for museum members and $50 for non-members Registration includes the books and light refreshments to be served the day of the event.  Upon registration participants will receive copies of both books to read at their convenience Participants will gather at Lakeport Plantation for an afternoon discussion from 1 until 4 p.m is one of the premier historic structures in the state and retains many of its original finishes and architectural details visitors can learn about the people and cultures that shaped plantation life in the Mississippi Delta Civil War and reconstruction periods.  Arkansas Heritage Sites are historic properties of regional and national significance in the Arkansas Delta   Lakeport Plantation is located at 601 Highway 142 in Lake Village For additional information about visiting Lakeport Plantation or regarding the reading retreat, one may contact Ruth O'Loughlin, heritage site director, at 870-265-6031 or roloughlin@AState.edu.Lakeport Plantation Museum will host a reading retreat in April featuring two books about life and times on the Mississippi River VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — One person was injured early Saturday in a single-vehicle crash after hitting the “Openwood Plantation” sign at the intersection of Newitt Vick Drive and Oak Ridge Road when the driver of a red pickup truck traveling eastbound on Oak Ridge Road struck the brick and concrete entrance sign Units with the Warren County Fire Service responded to the scene after clearing a separate accident at Highway 27 and Paxton Road first responders found a male driver trapped inside the vehicle crews had to remove the door to rescue the man He was placed on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital with injuries Warren County sheriff’s deputies temporarily closed the roadway to allow emergency crews to work safely The Warren County Fire Service is an all-volunteer group of citizens dedicated to helping their neighbors in their time of need If you want to become a Warren County Firefighter they will give you all the training you need they also have positions for people to help with maintaining equipment Contact Warren County Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs at 601-218-9911 for more information on how you can help WCHS releases their 2025-2026 boys’ basketball roster Mississippi River is projected to reach flood stage as early as next Saturday also experienced flooding in January and May Nichaela joined Community Impact in June 2024 as a government reporter for the northern Greater Houston area she worked as the news editor and managing editor of Texas State’s student run newspaper Lizzy serves as editor for the Conroe/Montgomery and Tomball/Magnolia editions of Community Impact Montgomery and Tomball prior to becoming editor ExpandLEGO Art at Magnolia Bringing together art science and innovation in a fun yet thought-provoking way (Magnolia Plantation & Gardens) By Jared HocevarMarch 19 (Palmetto Life) – Magnolia Plantation & Gardens one of Charleston’s most treasured historic sites located at 3550 Ashley River Road in Charleston is bringing a bold new experience to the Lowcountry this summer with Nature POP!® an awe-inspiring exhibition by acclaimed artist Sean Kenney this highly anticipated exhibit will feature more than 40 larger-than-life sculptures made entirely of LEGO® bricks celebrating the beauty of nature through an exciting pop-art lens offering a playful spin on traditional sculptural art Constructed from over 800,000 LEGO® pieces these gravity-defying sculptures will be strategically placed throughout Magnolia where their highly stylized and colorful designs will create a striking contrast against the garden’s historic beauty “We are thrilled to bring artist Sean Kenney’s Nature POP!®: Made with LEGO® bricks to Magnolia,” said Susan Shallo “Just as our historic gardens offer something for everyone and nature to create a truly dynamic and immersive experience Whether you’re a family discovering the wonders of nature an art enthusiast drawn to creative expression this newest addition to the gardens offers a fresh and exciting way to experience the wonders of Magnolia in an entirely new light.” From a majestic fox standing tall in bright hues to vibrant birds frozen in mid-flight the exhibit invites guests of all ages to explore the interconnectedness of nature—just as LEGO® bricks fit together to create something greater Each display highlights relationships within the natural world from the delicate balance between predators and prey to the nurturing bonds between species and humankind’s impact on the environment Interactive content enhances the experience with scientific facts deepening visitors’ understanding of these natural connections to Magnolia Plantations & Garden,” said artist Sean Kenney “Magnolia’s beautiful landscapes are the perfect backdrop for my sculptures which use the bold color of LEGO® bricks to show the amazing world of nature they will let you experience the outdoors in a fun and new way!” Guests can explore the installation daily from 9 a.m Exhibit access is included with general garden admission General admission tickets are Adults $35; Seniors (62+) and Teachers (with ID) $32; Youth (12-17) $21; Children (5-11) $17; Ages 4 and under free (ticket required) Tickets are available for purchase at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens and online at https://www.magnoliaplantation.com/magnolia-events. Facebook pageTwitter feedClick here to learn more about our approach to artificial intelligence Identity and Belonging Oak Hill plantation: hundreds of Black graves moved for industrial estate Elaine McCallig The remains of hundreds of African Americans are being shifted to make way for an industrial estate at a former tobacco plantation in Virginia So far 275 plots at Oak Hill have been exhumed the graves marked only by an uninscribed stone One firm that will move into one of the 13 plots is Microporous a battery maker which plans to build a $1.3 billion factory on the site The 1820s plantation was part of one of the largest slave-owning operations in the US Most of the enslaved people left Oak Hill after emancipation in the 1860s but those who remained were exploited as tenant farmers The decision to move the graves has provoked mixed emotions, the AP reports. Some descendants feel it’s a respectful move; others say the remains should not be disturbed. 92-year-old cardinal sets the mood for a fractious conclave Haiti nears ‘point of no return’ with no help on the horizon Harvard sets up fight between academia and Trump Supreme Court gender ruling brings guidelines and protests Trump backs defence secretary who texted wife of plans to bomb Yemen Robots are running half marathons – but no records are under threat Whitewebbs oak cut back by Toby Carvery was ‘more significant than Sycamore Gap tree’ Fewer migrants are trying to get into Europe Denmark looks to Ukraine for attack drone training Streaming boom threatens one of the most charming events in poker Israel’s new problem: reservists who don’t want to fight Area 51 tower on Google Earth fuels online conspiracy theories Manchester United’s long slide to irrelevance A free newsletter from Tortoise. Take once a day for greater clarity. Google Play Store Follow: Vandenberg carded rounds of 75-70-74 to finish 3-over and win by four shots I just didn't really play well at all," Vandenberg said "I had four bogeys on the first four holes of the back nine I thought I would move up on the scoreboard." as Vandenberg squandered a three-shot lead by going 5-over on holes No 8 and 9 to open the door for the rest of the field RELATED ARTICLESPlantation Senior: Kevin Vandenberg wins by five shotsThe 2024 AGC Players of the Year Vandenberg opened up his 2024 season with a win at the Plantation and rolled that into winning the 2024 AGC Senior Player of the Year. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Rankings "It felt really good," Vandenberg said about the win "It was nice to start off the year with another win I have been playing well recently and have just tried to avoid mistakes and play my game." "You really have to think your way around it," Vandenberg said about the course View full results for Plantation Senior Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact – Local 10′s quest to find this year’s Eco Hero continues this week as we introduce you each day to one of our top five finalists One high school student with a passion for our planet will win a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Australia and will be the subject of a primetime special here on Local 10 When South Plantation High School senior Charlotte Rowe graduates this spring the Eco Hero finalist will leave behind a lasting legacy As the president of the school’s Everglades Restoration Club for two years Rowe helped write grants to acquire and plant native trees all around the school’s campus and to create a beautiful butterfly garden which plays a crucial role in pollination and bio-diversity Rowe’s love of all things nature started early “Both my parents are elementary school teachers and my grandmother is a retired park ranger so I’ve kind of had environmental messages instilled in me my whole life,” she said it’s no surprise Rowe is passing on those environmental messages participating in community outreach programs and eco-friendly presentations at area schools Finding ways to protect the environment is the club’s mission “We work really hard to go and teach these people about just how important that is and why they should care about this beautiful natural world we have around us,” she said Rowe enjoys caring for her high school’s farm animals tagging sharks and participating in marine research with the Junior Seakeepers program “The Junior Seakeepers is a program based in Miami and they work really hard to educate the community and advocate for environmental protection and laws to be instilled,” said Rowe Rowe looks forward to seeing the Great Barrier Reef as well as the many animals that are unique to Australia “I’m a Florida girl born and raised,” she said “I’ve always experienced the nature around here so it would be so cool to experience that somewhere on a completely different continent.” Rowe’s passion for our planet and desire to enlighten and inspire will continue “Everyone needs to do their part,” she said “The main way that happens is with education If people understand and know just little things they can do to help the environment Rowe is off to the University of Florida this fall to study wildlife Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor giving her more time in the evening with her family Incarceration Plantation: The Musical is a sister and brother’s creative journey They reflect on more than 30 years of dealing with America’s prison system and how systemic racism and the disproportionate sentencing of Black people perpetuates a form of modern slavery This production is part of 7 Stages’ Home Brew Series a program that provides a platform and resources for works in development This public sharing will offer audiences select new musical and movement compositions original poetry created behind bars and a sneak peak into the overall storyline Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for the city and serves to favorably impact Atlanta's economy through conventions and tourism Philanthropist and media mogul Ted Turner bought Kinloch Plantation on the Santee Delta in 1982 Structures on the 19th century Kinloch Plantation include the original commissary formerly owned by billionaire and CNN founder Ted Turner has changed hands for the first time in decades following an $18 million sale A historic 5,800-acre hunting preserve along the Santee Delta near Georgetown and formerly owned by billionaire Ted Turner has been sold for $18 million Kinloch Plantation’s recent eight-figure purchase by two companies affiliated with a local business owner marks the first time in more than 40 years the CNN founder's family is no longer stewards of the estate Turner bought Kinloch for $2.9 million in late 1982. The property remained within his family The sale by Kinloch Plantation LLC to Guerry Green's Marhaygue LLC and ECRC II LLC was recorded with Georgetown County on March 21 In a marketing video about the property listing agent Charles Lane of Charleston-based Holcombe Fair & Lane described Kinloch as "one of the best one of the largest privately owned duck properties on the East Coast of the United States.” Named for a nearby creek, Kinloch is made up of 14 separate rice plantations It's permanently protected by a legally binding conservation easement with Ducks Unlimited and will remain as one parcel “This is a wild place,” Lane said in the video “There’s not many places on the East Coast of the United States you can truly say is wild And it will remain wild forever because of the protection that's here.” the main house is a 15-room hunting lodge on the site of the original home The interior walls are decorated with murals painted by famed waterfowl artist Richard Bishop Kinloch's other highlights include a restored 18th century rice mill that’s on the National Register of Historic Places Before Turner took ownership, the property was owned by Eugene duPont — an American businessman who once led the modern-day DuPont Corp He and his family pieced their Lowcountry getaway together by acquiring numerous properties Stanland said he went from the hospital straight to Kinloch which his father managed for the duPonts until 1974 He recalled growing up in the wild and playing in the rice mills and and the hand-built dikes I had killed more ducks and caught more fish than people do in a lifetime," Stanland said April 3 He added that duPont and wife Amelia had six children but they never seemed to agree who should take ownership of Kinloch Kinloch wasn't the first large property the 86-year-old former cable TV news mogul has owned in coastal South Carolina. In 2017, he sold his secluded 4,680-acre St. Phillips Island near Beaufort to the state for the bargain price of $4.9 million Stanland said he hasn't met Kinloch's new owner. Green is a longtime building products entrepreneur who started Screen Tight in 1990 and owns Green Eagle near Georgetown County Airport He once served on the Santee Cooper board of directors and he's owned a plantation before," Stanland said "He already has plans to improve it and clean it up." Large-scale historic properties along the Santee Delta don't come on the market often. Another notable deal was the sale of Annandale Plantation which fetched about $21.4 million two years ago News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com (KESQ) - The Plantation Golf Club on Monroe Street in Indio is one of the few men-only clubs remaining in the country it's the target of a lawsuit by JCM Farming alleging the policy is discriminatory and a violation of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act News Channel 3 I-Team Investigator John White will bring you a look inside the dispute between the two sides that also includes a disagreement over the growing of date palm trees including the woman who challenged Augusta National Golf Club on the issue over 20 years ago and someone else who's faced litigation from the same company that he says damaged his business News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines KESQ-TV FCC Public File | KPSP-TV FCC Public File | KDFX-TV FCC Public File | EEO Report | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information News and commentary about the American food system a Black farmer purchased the plantation where his ancestors were enslaved—and is taking back his family’s story By Fourth-generation farmer Patrick Brown sits on the steps of the Oakley Grove plantation where his great-grandfather Byron was enslaved Brown purchased the plantation in May 2021 and is in the process of renovating it In the months before Patrick Brown was born in November 1982 lay down on a road near the family’s farm to prevent a caravan of yellow dump trucks from depositing toxic soil in his community The governor of North Carolina had authorized the dumping of the soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls the elder Brown knew the chemicals would likely leach into the sandy loam and clay soil of Warren County located in North Carolina’s northeastern Piedmont region He knew they could contaminate the water and make residents sick—and like hundreds of his fellow protesters he believed that his community was being targeted because it was one of the poorest in the state “That’s my dad right there,” says Patrick Brown pointing on his phone to a black-and-white photo of his father being arrested and he is being carried away by three helmeted police officers The state dumped 7,097 truckloads—40,000 tons—of toxic soil in a Warren County landfill Though the community was forced to live alongside hazardous waste their actions gained the attention of prominent civil rights and environmental leaders—and ignited the national environmental justice movement It raised awareness that polluting industries and toxic waste facilities are often sited in communities of color and established how ordinary citizens can organize to fight back Many national and international climate-justice actions today grew directly out of the model established in Warren County The protest also shaped the legacy inherited by the child born a few months later Patrick’s connection to his land in Warren County—and his commitment to building sovereignty for his family and community—stretches back two generations past his father who was enslaved nearby until the end of the Civil War Patrick currently operates Brown Family Farms on the land that Byron worked as a sharecropper once he was freed In the rural Hecks Grove community—less than a mile from where Robert E Lee’s daughter Annie Carter Lee was buried after dying at 23 of typhoid fever—the land has a long and complicated history who was named North Carolina’s Small Farmer of the Year by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University this year grows almost 200 acres of industrial hemp for both oil and fiber and 11 acres and several greenhouses of vegetables—beets Brown stands outside the incubation house that holds trays of vegetable starts and tender new leaves emerge from the towering willow oak  behind the brick ranch farmhouse at the center of the farm’s production area he has large round eyes and a dark beard peppered with gray Today he wears a dark gray button-up work shirt with two patches on it—one says “Brown Family Farms & Produce 1865,” the other “Patrick / Owner”—tucked neatly into a pair of black cargo pants The white soles of his well-worn leather work boots are covered in dirt Isaiah White harvests kale at his family’s fifth-generation farm in Warren County environmental justice movement was born in 1982 out of protests over the siting of a hazardous-waste landfill we’d get this sweet corn in the ground today,” he says indicating a bag of organic seed and a nearby half-acre plot of loose brown soil finding ways to push back against the systems designed to oppress people of color In a county that was intentionally poisoned—and a world suffering from a changing climate—he is reviving the soil under his feet by transitioning away from pesticide-dependent row crops like tobacco to industrial hemp which is known to sequester carbon and remediate soil and using earth-friendly organic and regenerative methods And in a region where many residents suffer from diet-related illnesses and do not have easy access to grocery stores selling fresh foods Patrick offers vegetable boxes through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program as well as by producing hemp-derived CBD products meant to reduce chronic pain by holistic “He is incredibly business-oriented and entrepreneurial he’s literally grounded in the earth and the values of Black family life,” says Jereann King Johnson a Warrenton organizer and cultural historian who has long known the Brown family and hosted Patrick on a public panel discussion about Black land ownership and land loss a couple of years ago “The values that have been instilled in him from his family—of being a good steward of the land being a good businessperson—that whole legacy of the Brown family—when you see him and talk to him In addition to admiring his approach to farming Johnson respects the way he thinks beyond his own operation and advocates for policies that benefit others especially young farmers and farmers of color—those the system excludes “He is a guiding light for young farmers,” she continues “It’s not just the practice of farming that he is engaged in but also exploring ways to best pursue resources through America’s bigger farming system.” Brown’s connection to his land in Warren County—and his commitment to building sovereignty for his family and community—stretches back two generations past his father Brown works full time for the social justice nonprofit Nature for Justice which helps communities at the front lines of the climate crisis work toward solutions his job is to distribute $1.7 million over five years to farmers of color in North Carolina in order to help them implement regenerative farming methods that sequester carbon and restore soil and ecosystem health And he serves as chair of the board of the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute founded in January 2023 to help deliver healthy food to communities in rural North Carolina he carried out the ultimate act of reclamation purchasing the plantation house and surrounding 2.5 acres where his great-grandfather Byron had been enslaved holding in his palm the weighty set of skeleton keys that unlock the doors of Oakley Grove house and the outbuildings surrounding it and education center for young farmers and farmers of color—ways to honor his family While his ancestors were forced to inhabit this place and transforming it into a space that serves his needs Oakley Grove plantation was owned by a medical doctor named Lafayette Browne and his wife it was a sprawling 7,000-acre operation that raised tobacco and wheat with the labor of more than 175 enslaved people It was such an agricultural player that the state of North Carolina ran railroad tracks to the property to export its goods up north Driving his white farm truck from the plantation house through the former Oakley Grove territory last year all the way down here,” he says as we descend a hill It was huge.” He shudders to imagine the amount of backbreaking work it would have taken to manage all that land without the help of modern-day farm equipment After Lafayette died in his early 40s in 1841 his son Jacob managed the plantation alongside his mother—and at one point inherited a young woman of color named Lucinda Fain Jacob arranged for Fain to work as a cook in the big house and had multiple children by her where his grandmother Mary Browne groomed him to become an overseer Jacob went on to have many more children by a white woman While his white descendants spell “Browne” with an “e” on the end—and inherited all of his land and wealth—his descendants of color Patrick takes me to a Browne family graveyard tucked back in the woods which holds the white descendants of Lafayette as we make our way through the tall grasses to the granite headstones “This is where I found out I had a lot of cousins.” The gravesite of Patrick Brown’s parents Byron was walking through the woods when he ran across a Confederate soldier who told him that the Civil War had ended and he could no longer be forced to work for free He returned to the plantation house to share the news with his mother and sister Flora then fled on foot to the southeast side of Warren County on a farm down present-day Lickskillet Road When the owner of the land where Byron was sharecropping died on which he grew timber and raised livestock “My great-great-grandfather looked Caucasian so he carried himself as if he was,” Patrick says he willed 200 acres of land and increments of cash to each of his children but most of them had migrated north because they “wanted to get as far away from Warren County as they could,” Patrick Brown says was the only one who elected to stay and farm—and as a result (to the dismay of his siblings) Grover established a peach orchard in 1935 and cultivated grain and raised livestock until the late 1970s he ran a general store that contained a butcher shop—and even had part ownership of a bodega in Brooklyn “My grandfather was a stubborn old man,” Brown says pointing out a black-and-white photograph of Grover sitting next to Arthur on a picnic table bench wearing a suit and tie with his mouth turned down into a sour expression He was a people’s person with respect and honor and dignity Though two of his fingers were webbed on each hand played catcher for semi-pro baseball teams Brown,” or simply “A.A.”—served more than six congregations over 60 years “Everybody knew him—he was a patriarch in this community,” he says a lot of weddings; he would preach on Sundays and go to convalescent homes in the evenings it was all farming; Saturday and Sunday was taking care of members of his church providing some type of support to the community a 70-year-old Black farmer with a white mustache and two gold teeth rented and farmed Arthur’s land for 15 years after Arthur retired He still grows soybeans in neighboring Vance and Franklin counties gentle man who always looked out for others “He’d plant watermelons and take them to a person’s house In addition to asserting the right of his community to maintain a clean environment by protesting the toxic waste landfill he was involved with voter registration projects alongside Eva McPherson Clayton a friend of the Brown family and the first African American woman elected to Congress from North Carolina House of Representatives and holding a post on the Agriculture Committee over the phone while tending tomatoes in her backyard garden but he was an example of what you do trying to be responsible to have justice and he carried on his father’s tradition in farming.” Arthur raised some livestock and vegetables but mostly grew row crops like tobacco She served as a high school principal for 11 years and then worked two decades in the schools’ central office after 52 states and territories signed a settlement agreement with the four largest tobacco companies in the U.S to resolve lawsuits associated with the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses He used the money to pay off the farm loans he had with the U.S he began having strokes—two while atop the riding mower out on the farm—and had to stop working Celeste went to the hospital for a heart valve replacement and died unexpectedly the next day from complications Arthur passed away in February 2023 at the age of 95 sits in the cemetery of the brick Union Grove Baptist Church following in the footsteps of the three generations before him of carrying on the tradition of his parents and his family.” Oily in texture and without smell or taste PCBs are synthetic compounds used in manufacturing transformers and other electrical equipment And they’re nasty: They have been found to cause cancer the Toxic Substances Control Act banned them in 1979 from further production in the United States a trucking firm hired by the Raleigh-based Ward Transformer Company took a shortcut in disposing of them Tasked with recycling 31,000 gallons of PCB-contaminated oil they instead dripped it—under the cover of darkness—along the roadsides in 14 North Carolina counties the state government released its plan to dispose of the contaminated soil scraped up from the roadsides: It would establish a toxic-waste landfill in Warren County the population of Warren County was 64 percent Black the highest percentage of any county in North Carolina The community most immediately surrounding the landfill site As the dump trucks advanced toward the new hazardous-waste landfill with contaminated soil protestors—including Arthur—lay face up on the pavement of Sulphur Springs and Limer Town roads to block them law enforcement officers arrested 523 people “I’m very proud of all that he did,” Brown says where the dumping wouldn’t really have too much of an effect but it was an effect for the members of the community that he knew.” “The protestors of Warren County put the term ‘environmental racism’ on the map,” wrote Dr recognized as the father of the environmental justice movement Environmental Protection Agency collaborated to have the landfill site detoxified Brown sees the government’s dumping of toxic waste in Warren County as connected to the county’s role as a center for Black life Durham attorney and civil rights leader Floyd McKissick developed a plan to transform an old Warren County plantation into a utopian metropolis called Soul City dedicated to economic equality and empowering Black people commemorates the start of the environmental justice movement On the empty stretch of red clay an hour north of Raleigh—11 miles from the Brown family farm and 8 miles away from what would become the PCB landfill—McKissick planned to build a whole new city: houses the city would hold a population of 50,000 people and offer 24,000 jobs The project started out with a lot of promise President Richard Nixon granted it a $14 million loan guarantee to prepare the land for development But once North Carolina elected conservative Jesse Helms to the U.S A series of articles in the Raleigh News & Observer falsely accused McKissick of corruption and fraud and the feds withdrew support from the project in 1979 aside from a three-story concrete monolith proclaiming “Soul City” in modern sans serif script at the intended entrance to the community Brown carried out the ultimate act of reclamation “Jesse Helms got elected and stopped the funding from coming in because he found out that it was mostly for a community for Blacks,” Patrick says ‘I’ve got something for y’all—I’m going to dump this toxic waste on you.’ We were already on the map There’s 100 counties in the state of North Carolina but you chose our county to continue to pick on.” Growing up in Warren County—a place that has endured slavery and the dumping of toxic waste—shaped who Patrick has become “My environment doesn’t define me,” he says executive director of the Black Belt Justice Center a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Black farmers and landowners in the South is moving the spirit of Soul City forward.” or driving the loaded tractor from the fields where the hands were harvesting the leaves up to the barns where they were flue cured it would take us about nine hours,” he says he would also help the fieldhands top the tobacco or break the flowers off to encourage the plant to grow wide rather than tall “You’d get this tobacco wax all over your hands,” he says he would join his father at the tobacco auction in Henderson The two would load a trailer and the bed of their red Chevy with giant sacks of cured tobacco leaves wrapped in burlap Because the truck and trailer were so full their German shepherd Nicki would scramble atop the truck’s cab and ride on the roof all the way to the tobacco house because they’d see his truck and his dog,” he says where farmers would have their tobacco on display laying it out in piles on open burlap sacks The white owner of the tobacco house exuded money and power over and over: The house would buy his tobacco wholesale at a low price and then Arthur would look on as the auctioneers would drive up the price they were paid by companies like Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds The money they were able to take home was just enough Patrick Brown runs Brown Family Farms in Warren County He grows organic vegetables and industrial hemp Arthur would drive Patrick north across the rural county toward the town of Littleton and park the truck in the driveway outside the locked metal gate of the Oakley Grove plantation where his great-grandfather had been born they would stare at the abandoned but majestic two-story house through the white oak “He was educating me,” Patrick says of his father ‘This is where our family ancestry originated this is the plantation that we came from.’” But while Arthur wanted Patrick to know where his family had started he did not mention the circumstances of Byron’s tenure at the house Only at the annual family reunions he attended after high school did Patrick learn from his other relatives that his great-grandfather had been enslaved at Oakley Grove “My dad didn’t really talk about slavery much; that’s just something that he didn’t focus on,” he says “He understood slavery and everything that people had gone through but his image was his father—and his father was a no-nonsense type of guy that really felt superior to slavery Grover couldn’t relate to slavery in a way because he felt like he was born into progress They didn’t want any association with that property over in Littleton,” says Patrick of his father and grandfather “Even if that plantation didn’t relate to me and my success in life I would not be who I am today if my great-grandfather didn’t have to go through that portion of his life,” he says and I focus to catch up on the things I didn’t focus on as a young person.” he feels solidly in a position where he can look at the painful parts of his family’s past straight on because now we actually have a little bit of ownership in the process,” he says Though Patrick’s childhood was steeped in farm work he was not eager to carry on the family business “Farming for us was like a chore,” he says It wasn’t a ‘I get $100 at the end of the week like everybody else was getting paid that worked here.’ I myself wanted to leave here when I turned 18 and graduated from high school and go to college because I had worked since I was 9 or 10 years old and I didn’t think that this was all to life that I needed to see Brown studied business administration and played football at the nearby Fayetteville State University as an account executive in the real estate market for the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited I hadn’t made any money like that ever in my life I was going to the Caribbean and traveling the world and hanging out with friends,” he says He spent just over half a year back at the farm and then got a position as a contract agricultural advisor in Afghanistan he lived among locals in Afghan villages and taught residents how to grow and sell grapes—to give them an alternative to growing poppies for the opium trade “I wouldn’t say it was a waste of time,” he says “but I really put my life in jeopardy for something that really wasn’t going to make a difference.” He and his team would return to villages six months after they had left and the Taliban would be back in control and the villagers back to growing poppies Patrick Brown’s nephew Justice White pauses while harvesting organic purple kale Brown thinks a lot about improving the land and the family business in preparation for passing them down to the next generation (Photo credit: Cornell Watson) Brown earned a high-level security clearance and was able to get a job with the Department of Defense The whole time he worked for the government in the D.C Patrick would commute to North Carolina every weekend to help his parents with the farm where no one knows I’m here—I’m just out here working on my tractor—I’m just enjoying the landscape and the atmosphere and the environment.” as director of farmer inclusion for Nature for Justice Now he spends his weekdays in North Carolina on his farm and traveling the state to speak with other farmers and his weekends in Virginia with his family It’s a two hour and 52-minute drive from doorstep to doorstep While for the last two decades he worked a career job to get by and support his family And his full-time Nature for Justice job gives him an advantage that his father who depended solely on the farm for income He can experiment with different crops and approaches and purchase modern equipment to help him do the work He realizes he has a huge opportunity in the land that his ancestors stewarded and passed down to him “I’d be a dummy—which I was for the last 20 years—by not taking advantage,” he says And the knowledge and experience he developed in college and while working for the government have made him savvy at navigating the system to his own benefit and the benefit of others working the land the farm is a comfortable 77 degrees outside Small white cabbage butterflies flit among the dandelion weeds and the rows of produce over in the hoop house I can see the corn Patrick planted back in April standing now a couple feet tall the belts in Brown’s John Deere combine seized up he reaches a pitchfork up into a back compartment of the machine to pull out the straw that got stuck “I can’t cut wheat until I get that fixed.” Justice and Isaiah White—his older sister’s kids both full-time employees on the farm—sit on overturned buckets in the back of a low trailer amidst a sea of purple kale leaves The trailer is still hitched to the old orange tractor they used as they harvested two long rows from a nearby field reaching down to select a handful of the deep purple leaves then clipping their stems and fastening a rubber band around the bundles A FreshPoint Sysco truck will be picking up as many boxes as they have packed tomorrow morning Patrick takes  his position as the steward of his family’s land seriously “My primary mission is to make sure this land that I inherited has the capacity to generate income in agriculture for future generations—whether it be my nephews Previous generations relied mostly on commodity crops for their income One of his key tenets is planting a diversity of specialty crops that can both supply his community with fresh vegetables and create a variety of income streams—and to sell CSA shares at the beginning of the growing season to offset the farm’s upfront costs While his predecessors—and most farmers—take out loans or rely on credit to run their businesses borrowing against their expected harvests to purchase equipment Brown has never borrowed money or relied on loans or grants He has seen firsthand the harm that debt can cause farmers The USDA has a long history of discrimination in its allocation of farm loans—confirmed by numerous agency-commissioned studies North Carolina farmer Timothy Pigford and other Black farmers filed a class action lawsuit against the USDA saying the agency—via its local county committees—would deny Black farmers loans or force them to wait longer for approval than nonminority farmers the agency failed to investigate and respond to allegations of discrimination Patrick saw his father experience the USDA’s discriminatory lending practices The agency was frequently slow to approve Arthur’s request for loans and disperse the money “They would continue to ask for more information in order to feel comfortable giving him a loan each and every year,” Patrick says The delays in payment could be devastating Arthur needed to purchase fertilizer before December and prepare the land for planting by February or March and the farm would operate under stress all year often experiencing low yield—and reduced profits—as a result a $1 billion settlement was negotiated in the Pigford cases Claimants were supposed to receive payments soon after but because of confusing paperwork and processing issues Congress appropriated money for an additional round of payouts in 2010 but similar issues abounded the USDA issued $2 billion in financial assistance to farmers it had discriminated against through its lending programs; before that most Pigford claimants had received payouts of $50,000 or less just a tenth of what an average midsize farm spends in a year and fewer than 3 percent—425 farmers total—had received the debt relief they were entitled to as part of the lawsuit The older Black farmers who were involved with the Pigford cases regret having gotten entangled with the industrial agriculture paradigm and the USDA says McCurty of the Black Belt Justice Center “The elders refer to the USDA as the last plantation,” she says so they can never have economic autonomy.” In a region where many residents suffer from diet-related illnesses and do not have easy access to grocery stores selling fresh foods Brown offers vegetable boxes through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program In large part due to the systemic discrimination has fallen precipitously over the last century the percentage of Black farmers declined from 14 percent of all farmers to less than 2 percent the approximately 40,000 Black farmers remaining in America own less than 1 percent of the country’s farmland “I can count on one hand the number there are in Warren County that’s still row cropping not just backyard gardening,” Patrick says the USDA granted direct loans to only 36 percent of applicants who identified as Black compared with 72 percent of applicants who identified as white according to an analysis by National Public Radio That’s why Patrick has opted out of the loan system “I don’t want to have to be praying and hoping that in order for me to have a good crop in the ground this year I’ve got to wait for money from USDA to plant on time,” Patrick says And I promised I would never operate this farm like that.” the farmers of color who do remain support each other sourcing produce from one another to fill out their orders and helping each other with broken equipment and other issues Hedgepeth comes over in the afternoon to help Patrick fix the combine which is still clogging up every time Patrick tries to run it down a row of wheat Patrick adjusts the bolts that control the straw-release door on the back of the machine so it’s open 6 inches wider than it was and then he and Hedgepeth climb the five-step ladder up front Patrick enters the glassed-in cockpit and fires up the machine releasing a groan and a plume of smoke into the air Hedgepeth hangs off the side of the deck to see if the combine is releasing the straw onto the ground like it should and—after a day’s delay—the harvesting can continue Hedgepeth enters the cockpit and takes the seat beside Patrick both with an intimate knowledge of this land—sit side by side as they run up and down several more rows leaving a row of freshly cut straw in their wake Hedgepeth picks up a harvested kernel and examines it closely “I believe that’s as good as you’re gon’ get,” he says I walk with Patrick over fields that several weeks ago held onions His boots crunch over dry soil and dead grass we’d have fall crops in the ground,” he says “We’re too afraid that if we put fall crops in the ground like we’ve done the last 15 to 20 years Patrick is trying to use his land as a force for good—through strategies that also make financial sense which the federal government legalized in 2018 after prohibiting its cultivation for several decades spurred by the war on drugs and its association with marijuana (To note: Hemp contains only .3 percent of psychoactive THC and does not produce a high.) and requires less water than many other crops it sequesters carbon: “Over 90 to 100 days an acre of hemp sequesters just as much carbon as a pine tree would over 20 years,” Patrick says Because North Carolina was among the states that allowed hemp cultivation prior to its federal legalization Patrick started planting hemp in 2015 for the oil in its flower used to produce CBD—and he patented a company called Hempfinity “We wanted to try to figure out an alternative to slow down the use of pharmaceutical drugs he began growing industrial hemp for the fiber of its stalks which can be used to create everything from fabric to building materials He sells the hemp to BioPhil Natural Fibers in Lumberton Patrick also partners with Patagonia and VF Corporation (owner of The North Face and JanSport)—which are both interested in developing domestic supply chains for industrial hemp and have commissioned him to help with the research and development of its cultivation capturing information on things like plant genetics and the amount of carbon the plants are sequestering Because hemp fiber only recently became legal to grow across the U.S. and parts of the supply chain—like processing plants—are still few and far between While Vans sources the majority of the cotton for its canvas shoes from the U.S. Vans’ director of materials innovation and sustainability The company would eventually like to source more of its hemp fiber domestically with the hope of increasing the diversity of the farmers in its supply chain (Most of its cotton growers are white males and around 65 years old Brown is proving instrumental in helping the global company figure out how to make this transition and identify gaps in its supply chain who visits Patrick on his farm about once a year “What I love about Patrick is his willingness to jump into anything new and try it,” she says “Working with Patrick is helping us understand how we can support and potentially fund minority farmers to embrace regenerative hemp or regenerative cotton so that we can start to shift our supply chain over time and Patrick has been so critical in helping us understand.” works full time on the farm with his younger brother Isaiah The two oversee the cultivation of vegetables for the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program Brown and I drive less than a minute up the road to visit the closest hemp field to the main farm the one right downhill from the cemetery at the home church the deep green stalks of his hemp plants stand 16 feet tall and pretty thin But because Patrick cut most of this field two days ago the stalks lay flat and are browning on the ground—drying naturally in a process called dew retting where the cellular tissue and gummy substances rot away causing the fiber to separate from the stem he will rake the stalks into 4-by-5-foot bales and send them off for processing “Hemp puts more into that land than it takes out,” he says and I’m putting less and less into the land I’m building the soil.” That’s hard to do with a crop like tobacco because of the amount of chemicals it takes to produce it With synthetic fertilizer costing up to $900 per ton in 2022 and 2023 the natural feeding of the soil has the added benefit of saving him money and making his farm more profitable he employs numerous farming techniques that benefit the soil and sequester carbon While he has not invested in obtaining the official USDA certification (which is not worth it financially he farms his hemp and veggies by organic methods and soybean fields—he does not till the soil a practice that disrupts its composition and releases carbon He rotates his crops rather than planting the same thing in each plot every season which builds soil nutrients and organic matter And he plants cover crops each winter—barley Brown has tried to bring other farmers along with him he applied for a USDA Climate-Smart Commodities grant a project that would connect Black and historically underserved farmers—prioritizing the legacy farmers involved with the Pigford case—with retailers and historically Black colleges and universities Following the model he has established with his own farm the idea was to help these farmers transition to climate-smart agriculture and hemp production “My environment doesn’t define me While the USDA did not end up funding the proposal—instead directing a good portion of the grant money to big-ag players like Tyson Foods which received $60 million—McCurty said the legacy farmers appreciate Patrick’s vision it makes them proud to see the next generation running with the baton but that he reached back to them to show them a pathway out,” she says “There can be no justice for Black farmers without justice for the Pigford legacy farmers and what they endured,” McCurty continues “And what I appreciate is that Patrick went back and really sat with the elders to try to incorporate them into this larger vision he had of restoring the Black agricultural land base through industrial hemp.” Brown’s day job with Nature for Justice (an organization that did receive Climate-Smart grant money)—which consists of incentivizing Black farmers to adopt many of these regenerative practices—marries his interests in mitigating climate change and staving off land loss among Black farmers Clayton admires Brown’s tenacity and his concern for others “He’s willing to push buttons to get things done; he’s willing to advocate at the highest levels open to him,” she says “He’s getting more new farmers in because he’s willing to fight the battles of equity.” Brown continued his periodic trips to the Oakley Grove plantation house into adulthood The house was owned by a relative of Mary Falcon Browne until 2001 when the North Carolina Preservation Authority took ownership a Duke University doctor purchased the property under protective covenants from the Authority when he was visiting with his young son Clayton The doctor had been collecting family history from the white side of the Browne family “He was surprised I knew my family history like I did,” Brown says Realizing that Brown had a stronger connection to the house than he did the doctor eventually offered to sell him the house he purchased it and the 2.5 acres surrounding the house in a private sale he came face to face with the ugly realities “When I first got these keys and documents from the other side of the family—the ledgers the wills—I saw how they were willing off people like they were merchandise.” Jerreann King Johnson visited the plantation with Patrick in 2022 after hosting him on the Black-land-loss panel “When I got out of the car and walked onto the land because I felt like that land was coming back to where it belonged,” she says and the property were in Patrick Brown’s hands that this young Black man had the consciousness and foresight to acquire the property.” The house was built on a high brick foundation and in two parts And the more elaborate second part was added in 1859 and attributed to the renowned architect Jacob Holt “This is where the Browns started,” he says as we cross the shaded lawn to approach the house The white paint has worn off of most of the siding and while two rows of boxwood bushes line what was once a front walk “It’s a breath of fresh air to feel like you own the property that your family was enslaved on.” (Photo credit: Cornell Watson) We circle around to the back and climb the rotting wooden staircase to the back porch I carefully place my feet on boards that look like they won’t collapse under my weight Brown uses the giant gold skeleton keys to open the door The light inside the house is filtered and subdued While the few rooms that had been partially renovated by a previous owner have finished drywall Boards and long pieces of molding are stacked on the floor and lean against the walls for future use “All the wood in this house is original,” he says Brown reflects on the centuries of people and events that have led him here to the gently sloping acreage on the far side of the county to the hemp growing by his parents’ graves “I’m thankful for my dad and his father and my great-grandfather for working at what they did so long to be able to give me access to the land,” he says After nearly two decades working mostly off the land he now feels he’s doing what he was meant for—in the planting and we count on our members to keep producing our award-winning work Readers like you are the reason why we’re able to keep digging deep into stories you won’t find anywhere else. When you become a member your support directly funds our journalism—from paying our reporters to keeping the internet on in our remote offices across the United States Your membership will also come with great benefits which is full of relevant and timely reporting and online salons as a way to engage with reporters By By By By Can the state’s vaunted regenerative agriculture programs—and its fight against climate change—continue without stronger local support By By By By We have upgraded our membership systemPlease check your mailbox for a secure link to sign in and set up a new password If you have any questions or need help, please email info@civileats.com