Sankofa Summer School: 40 Acres and a Mule

Most Americans have heard the term "Forty Acres and a Mule," but don't know its origin, what was promised, or what promises were broken. The class will first summarize Special Field Order No. 15 (40 Acres Order), then examine government power of eminent domain, its use over time, and its disproportionate effect on the Black community. Using specific examples of the exercise of eminent domain in the US, the class will explore how it has​often been used strategically against the Black community, resulting in the displacement of thousands of Black Americans (and the loss of their homes), the loss of hundreds of thousands of acres of Black-owned land, and the loss of generational wealth.