Al Roker’s Latest Project Examines Struggles of Black Farmers
variety.comBrian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Al Roker is tackling a subject that might not be at the center of his activities on NBC’s “Today.” The morning-news veteran, through his Al Roker Entertainment production company, is releasing a new documentary underwritten by farming-equipment manufacturer Deere & Co.
that examines the state of Black farming in the U.S. — and some of the struggles the farmers in question must often navigate. “Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land,” was created in partnership with director Eternal Polk, and looks at how landowners are working to reclaim agricultural rights.
Many Black farmers often work land that has been passed down over generations via inheritance, but without a clear title, leaving the landholders unable in many instances to qualify for government assistance, equipment financing or agriculture programs.
Many of them have lost their land over the years, marking a loss of generational wealth. “It’s one of those iceberg issues,” says Roker, in a recent interview. “There’s so much more under the surface.” The topic may be of heightened interest in an era when Americans are often pondering issues of equity and inequality.
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