African American Farmer in St Helena Parish, Louisiana Days Are Numbered

African American Farmers
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr. 

As farming's days draw to a close, we're seeing the end of the era unless they younger generation embrace gardening and farming. Today, African American  farmers are few and far in between in St. Helena Parish.  Many of them have died and others have gotten too old to carry how the task of farming and raising livestock.

During the dying -off of farming in the African American community, I came in at the very tail in to document their story about farming. A few farmers were still struggling to maintain their small farms with little or no help at all. 

During our conversation, they described their challenges related to agriculture with me. Their finances weren't enough to maintain or purchase equipment and their health was failing. It was stated that their children and grandchildren did not want to do this kind of work. Ultimately, they didn't have any other options but to accept that their days for farming were numbered. 

In the United States, many African American farmers faced discrimination practices. Their loan applications to purchase better equipment were rejected. Historically, the USDA had discriminate against Black farmers all across the United States.  As a result, they hardly could keep their heads above water while White farmers had loans approved for new equipment, land acquisition, purchases, and maintenance.