Harvest, Heritage & Fall: Celebrating Black Creativity and Community

As the leaves fall and the air turns crisp, we’re celebrating the season of abundance, creativity, and community. This week’s issue highlights The AFRO News feature on Black entrepreneurs and restauranteurs building thriving businesses across Maryland, a testament to the power of perseverance and vision. We’re also diving into the spirit of the season with “Harvesting Heritage: How Black Farmers Are Reclaiming Fall Traditions,” a story honoring the growers and food creators keeping our ancestral roots alive. And for a little Southern spice, our Taste Maker of the Week, Monique of Divas Can Cook, shares her recipe for spicy deviled eggs — the perfect bite for your fall gatherings.

Harvesting Heritage: How Black Farmers Are Reclaiming Fall Traditions

As autumn paints the land in amber and gold, fields across the country whisper with the rhythms of harvest season, a time of gratitude, reflection, and abundance. For centuries, Black farmers have played a vital role in feeding their communities, yet their stories have often been left untold. Today, a new generation of farmers is reviving these traditions, reconnecting communities to the soil, and redefining what harvest season means for Black America.

In cities and rural towns alike, Black-owned farms are becoming vibrant centers of culture and connection. From Maryland’s The Greener Garden Urban Farm to Georgia’s Sankofa Farms, these growers are cultivating more than crops — they’re nurturing heritage. “Farming is about reclaiming agency,” says farmer and educator Kamal Bell of Sankofa Farms. “We’re teaching young people that the land holds history, healing, and hope.”

Fall festivals, community harvest days, and farmers markets hosted by Black growers are creating space for education and joy. At The Harriet Tubman Freedom Farm in North Carolina, visitors pick collards, sweet potatoes, and okra while learning about the deep agricultural knowledge carried by their ancestors. Events like Soil to Sanctuary in D.C. pair food with cultural celebration, bridging past and present through music, storytelling, and shared meals.

The legacy of Black farming is one of resilience. After Emancipation, freed people built thriving agricultural communities across the South, only to face systemic barriers that stripped away much of that land over generations. Today, less than 2% of U.S. farmland is Black-owned. But the resurgence of community-supported agriculture (CSA), farm co-ops, and urban gardens signals a movement toward restoration and renewal.

In the spirit of harvest, these farmers are reimagining abundance; one rooted in shared prosperity and food sovereignty. Their work reminds us that every seed planted is a story continued, and every harvest is an act of remembrance.

As families gather this fall, the bounty on the table carries the legacy of those who came before; hands that tilled, tended, and believed in a better tomorrow. Through their dedication, Black farmers are not just reclaiming land; they’re reclaiming legacy, identity, and the right to thrive in every season.

Monique, the creator behind Divas Can Cook, is a self-taught home cook who has built one of the most beloved online spaces for classic, from-scratch Southern recipes. Raised in North Carolina, Monique grew up surrounded by family meals that celebrated flavor, faith, and togetherness, values that now shine through her cooking and storytelling. Since launching Divas Can Cook in 2009, she has inspired millions with her approachable recipes and warm, down-home personality. Her website and YouTube channel serve as a digital kitchen table where traditional recipes like pound cakes, collard greens, and fried chicken meet modern twists and heartfelt encouragement. Through her work, Monique continues to honor the legacy of Southern Black cooking while making it accessible and joyful for a new generation of home cooks.