Ivy Talk: African American Farmers and the Challenges They Face


Dr. John W. Boyd will be speaking on the challenges that African American farmers have faced in the past as well as today. Dr. John W. Boyd Jr. is a fourth-generation farmer as well as one of America's most effective defenders of civil rights. He has been featured in The Washington Post, "60 Minutes," "Nightline," CNN, and as ABC News Tonight "Person of the Week." He is a past nominee for the NAACP's highest honor, The Springarn Award, and currently ranks as one of Ebony Magazine's most influential African-Americans.

In 1995, Boyd founded the National Black Farmers Association after encountering the US Department of Agriculture's discriminatory practices first-hand and meeting many more black farmers who shared this experience. Boyd soon led NBFA members in a march on the White House. He went on to meet with President Clinton and to testify before Congress. The plight of Black farmers had caught the nation's attention, but Boyd's pursuit of justice continues to this day. Boyd lives in Baskerville, Virginia where he continues to work his farm.

This talk will be offered on Zoom. The talk is free, but pre-registration is required through this link: https://app.donorview.com/L6z8V

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