I haven't seen or heard from Mr. Young in some time. We participated in a protest march with him, some of his family, and some of his friends a year or so ago. Now, a friend says that he's been jailed. Family members are on their way. He's 81 years of age. He's got a tobacco crop growing on his brother's land. His land has been taken away from him. He has proof that he paid the indebtedness that the USDA says he owes, but they won't let him see the documentation they have against him.
There are several things about him on this blog. Search him out, please.
Please check out the July 8, 2008 post on Mr. Young. You'll be able to see a youtube video of him speaking in DC.
Here's what I wrote in 2007.
"Harry Young is a Black farmer in Kentucky. His land had been in his family for over 100 years. Now he's been evicted and his land sold, all because he did not repay loans he did not receive. I first heard his story at the First Annual Conference on the Black Farmer and Land Loss when Mr. Young and one of his sons spoke of their family's struggles. In a brief exchange, I said to the son, "Unbelievable!" His reply? "Believe it. It's true."
The Young story is chronicled here, here, here, and here.
It should make us stop and think, and wonder, and pray, and work and pray."
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Meet Harry Young, Kentucky Farmer
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I read a substantial part of your blog, and I was intrigued by some of the stories you were telling. I was especially caught in the story of Harry Young. Now I understand I�m going to make observations you or someone you work with has been making for years, but you would think by now we would understand the carnality of our own hatred. To be honest, if I were to say I wasn�t surprised I�d be lying. You would think, however, with all of what has happened with regard to racism and prejudice in more recent history (i.e. Jena 6, Darfur, Kosovo) we would have some kind of a grip on the evil this is. I wonder what deceit people allow into their minds which allows them to steal value from someone based on a shade of color?
I saw on the discovery channel not too long ago that in the next 20 years, doctors are expected to be able to print full organs in order to replace the failing ones in our bodies. Indeed, even now, we are able to, literally, print copies of heart cells based on the design of something you might have on your desk right now. To think, we can clone each other but we can�t embrace racial diversity.
I appreciate your thoughts in your �Colorblind� entry. I hope I didn�t come on too strong in our class discussion. It is still amazing to me that the laws in this country are not enough to safeguard the rights of every farmer. Indeed, like you said in class, we are all made equal but some are more equal than others. I wonder what the white farmers do when they see their fellow black farmers mistreated at the hands of the local USDA and FSA?
Post a Comment