"We Shall Not Be Moved"

The citizens of Tillery care deeply about their history, so much so that they've worked with the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University to develop a documentary of their history of the "Tillery New Deal Resettlement." A part of the New Deal of President Roosevelt, it provided opportunities for African Americans to own and to work their own land and to step out of the degradations of share-cropping and "employment" status with the White farmers. From the plantation era to major changes in politics, land ownership, and economics, racism still impacted the landscape when it was discovered that it would be a Black settlement and not a White settlement.

Once the Roanoke River flooded in 1940, the Whites were moved uphill, but the Blacks were left in the flood plain. The original plan was for "350 individual farms: 200 farms located on 10,000 acres at Tillery for Negroes" (June 21, 1938, R 4 FSA). It's still a viable, living, and active community full of activists who care about the people and the quality of life on their land.

In this amazing documentary, and in this fascinating radio program, you'll hear the history, background, and complications of the land, the people, and the dream. Stories of discrimination will be told. You'll be moved by the resilience of these people against insurmountable odds.

Check out the radio program where you'll hear Gary Grant, President of Executive Director of Concerned Citizens of Tillery, the directors of the project, and others discuss the quality of life prior to the disaster years when the USDA began various nefarious ways to retrieve the land from Black ownership.

Go to the web page for the Concerned Citizens of Tillery for more information, and purchase a copy of the documentary, "We Shall Not Be Moved: A History of the Tillery Resettlement," and also a copy of the CD, "Wade in the Water," recorded by The Joyful Sound Gospel Chorus.

It'll stir your heart and move you to action.