40 Acres: The Promise of a Black Pastoral

Throughout the twentieth century, the cry for 40 Acres was a verdant symbol for a self-reliant Black nation. Stories of owning, losing, and finally reclaiming land are historical constants appearing in visual culture, blues music, preaching, recipes, and related cultural practices. The dream of a Black Pastoral also stirred generations of artists who recognized its significance as an organizing principle and an existential state.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website