Dispossessed
How Black Families Are Losing Their Land
Black landowners are disproportionately vulnerable to laws and discriminatory practices that allow speculators and developers to acquire their property.
Black Landowners Will Benefit From New Funding to Prevent Land Loss
A year after a ProPublica story highlighted problems for landowners who passed down “heirs’ property” without wills, a reformer won a MacArthur “genius” award and a nonprofit organization has received a flood of donations.
U.S. Senate Greenlights Funding to Help Prevent Families From Losing Their Land
A ProPublica-New Yorker story about black land loss was cited by the legislation’s sponsor before the near-unanimous vote.
Elizabeth Warren Announces Plans to Help Heirs’ Property Owners
The Democratic presidential candidate cited a ProPublica investigation into black land loss in her proposal.
Federal Government Wants to Hear From Heirs’ Property Owners
Ten days after a story about black families losing their land, the USDA scheduled listening sessions to hear from people who have had trouble qualifying for federal programs because their land was passed down without a will.
Their Family Bought Land One Generation After Slavery. The Reels Brothers Spent Eight Years in Jail for Refusing to Leave It.
Why are so many black families losing their land?
How to Close Heirs’ Property Loopholes
What to consider to avoid losing land that has been passed down through generations without a will and is shared among heirs.
