The Struggle of Preserving Inherited Land in Post-Slavery America

The narrative of ‘The Inherited Land’ is a profound exploration into a matter that spans generations: the vexed issue of lands that have been passed down through families. This is addressed through the prism of one man’s relentless efforts to preserve land that was bought a hundred years ago by his great-grandfather who was a slave during the Confederate time. Heirs’ property is characteristically described as land inherited with no concise, formal paperwork. Throughout the twentieth century, Black Americans lost nearly 80% of the property they owned during the pinnacle of ownership in a period shortly after the Civil War, as a result of theft and institutional imbalances.

The disparities in homeownership for Black Americans are stark. According to a study from the Urban Institute in 2023, statistics showed that 27.2% of Black applicants were denied a mortgage. This figure is more than twice the 13.4% of white applicants who were denied. Additionally, Black borrowers made up just 8.5% of all mortgage buyers that year, as per the most recent data at the time.

By 2024, a striking inequality became apparent – the rate of Black homeownership was 45.3%, a considerable 30 percentage points lower than that of white households, which stood at 74.4%. Housing plays an enormous role in one’s wealth status in America. The gulf between white and Black households in terms of wealth is dramatic. White households, which were 65.3% of all households in the U.S. in 2021, amassed 80% of all wealth according to the Census Department data.

Although Black households made up 13.6% of the total households, a mere 4.7% of all wealth was associated with them. When we consider the median wealth of households, the discrepancies are even more severe: Black households had about one-tenth of the wealth of white households, at $24,520 versus $250,400.

Looking back in history, Black land ownership rose sharply during the period when John Thomas Jr., a former slave, purchased over 300 acres following the Civil War, but the finish line kept receding as time progressed. The early 21st-century subprime bubble hinged partly on the practice of issuing high-risk loans to Black households, as research has extensively established. Between 2007 and 2013, Black households lost a shocking $336 billion of home equity, accounting for 33.5% of the total loss, a higher percentage than the 28% lost by white households.

A member of the family recalls the practice of storing family savings in a coffee can that was concealed somewhere on their land. Growing up a few miles from the property in question, Marie Jones recollects how everyone was painfully aware of a white neighbor’s affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan. The uneasy tension would escalate whenever he would saunter over, wearing nothing but a pair of open overalls, and peer threateningly at her grandmother.

The town square in Washington, in Wilkes County, is a place of historical significance with several markers commemorating the Confederacy. This was where Jefferson Davis, the last President of the Confederate States of America, carried out his final duties. On a recent summer day, a large poster of a Juneteenth celebration adorned one of the storefronts, yet an eerie feeling still engulfed the area.

In a later interview, Barnes revealed that their family property had been managed for a significant period by another family member, Yolande Minor. When Barnes visited the courthouse, Blair sent an email detailing information about McIntosh Seed and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, which he thought might be of assistance, similar to his own experience.

Uncertainty persists regarding the tax situation of Barnes’ and Gamble’s property as of the writing of the original article. It seems likely they will need to resort to legal support to unravel the ownership complications. Legal practitioners suggest that Barnes’ and Gamble’s ordeal underscores the need to ensure taxes are paid punctually and titles are timely updated in the correct owner’s name.

On his journey, Blair got acquainted with Charles Ware, a quiet but determined character with traces of white in his trim beard. This introduction happened through a family member from the Rayle area. Along with his personal endeavors to find resolution for his own land matters, he forwarded numerous documents to the same organization.

The Law Center, for all his efforts, remained the destination for legal inquiries from several other heirs’ property groups. Blair tapped into resources provided by the University of Georgia School of Law Land Conservation Clinic, among others. Despite repeated attempts, USA TODAY did not receive any response from the Georgia Heirs’ Property Law Center.

Advocates such as Blanding argue strongly that the benefits of aiding small farmers should be a priority over any political calculus. He highlights that the issue of heirs’ property is fundamentally a civil rights one, and requires immediate attention, irrespective of the political climate.

After two weeks upon his return home, Blair was dispirited. Charles Ware, who had previously promised much potential, had ceased communication. Blair felt the need for legal review on the establishment of his LLC to ensure its legitimacy. Unfortunately, no one amongst the younger generation of his family exhibited similar tenacity for maintaining the land.

For Blair, the indifference of his children, nieces, and nephews is biting. Their disinterest in carrying forward his initiatives has disheartened him, often only acknowledging his updates with terse responses. He laments, ‘They don’t grasp the legacy and the hardships John Thomas endured to secure this property. If they don’t care, that’s okay, but they can’t simply abandon it.’