Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists (HC) (2023)

A soulful collection of illuminating essays and interviews that explore Black people's spiritual connection to the land and the climate justice crisis, curated by the acclaimed author of Farming While Black.

Author of Farming While Black and co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, Leah Penniman reminds us that ecological humility is an intrinsic part of Black cultural heritage. While racial capitalism has attempted to sever our connection to the sacred earth for 400 years, Black people have long seen the land and water as family and treating the Earth as a home essential.

This thought-provoking anthology brings together today's most respected and influential Black environmentalist voices. These varied and distinguished experts include Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Alice Walker; the first Queen Mother and official spokesperson for the Gullah/Geechee Nation, Queen Quet; marine biologist, policy expert, and founder and president of Ocean Collectiv, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson; and the Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers, Land Loss Prevention Project, Savi Horne. These leaders address the essential connection between nature and our survival and how runaway consumption and corporate insatiability are harming the earth and every facet of American society, including racial violence, food apartheid, and climate justice.

Those whose skin is the color of soil are reviving their ancestral and ancient practice of listening to the earth for guidance. Penniman makes clear that the fight for racial and environmental justice demands that Black people put our planet first and defer to nature as our teacher.

Contributors include:

Alice Walker - adrienne maree brown - Dr. Ross Gay - Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson - Rue Mapp - Dr. Carolyn Finney - Audrey Peterman - Awise Agbaye Wande Abimbola - Kendra Pierre-Louis - Latria Graham - Awo Enroue Onigbonna Sangofemi Halfkenny - Dr. Lauret Savoy - Ibrahim Abdul-Matin - Savi Horne - Dr. Claudia Ford - Dr. J. Drew Lanham - Dr. Leni Sorensen - Queen Quet - Toshi Reagon - Yeye Luisah Teish - Yonnette Fleming - Naima Penniman - Angelou Ezeilo - James Edward Mills - Teresa Baker - Ira Wallace - Pandora Thomas - Toi Scott - Aleya Fraser - Chris Bolden-Newsome - Savonella Horne Esq - Dr. Joshua Bennett - B. Anderson - Chris Hill - Greg Watson - T. Morgan Dixon - Dr. Dorceta Taylor - Colette Pichon Battle Esq - Dillon Bernard - Sharon Lavigne - Steve Curwood