About
It’s often thought of as a promise that was never kept. But “40 acres and a mule” was more than that. It was real. 40 Acres and a Lie tells the history of an often-misunderstood government program that gave formerly enslaved people land titles, only to take the land back. This three-part series from Reveal and the Center for Public Integrity explores a reparation that wasn’t and the wealth gap that remains.
Creator
The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX
host
Reviews
Episodes(3)
40 Acres and a Lie Part 3
The loss of land for Black Americans started with the government’s betrayal of its 40 acres and a mule promise – and it has continued for decades. Today, researchers are unearthing the details of Black land loss long after emancipation, and local governments across the country are finally asking: Ca
40 Acres and a Lie Part 2
Skidaway Island, Georgia, is home today to a luxurious community that the mostly White residents consider paradise: waterfront views, live oaks and marsh grass alongside golf courses, swimming pools and other amenities. In 1865, the island was a thriving Black community, started by freedmen who were
40 Acres and a Lie Part 1
Our historical investigation found 1,250 formerly enslaved Black Americans who were given land – only to see it returned to their enslavers. Patricia Bailey’s four-bedroom home sits high among the trees in lush Edisto Island, South Carolina. It’s a peaceful place where her body healed from multiple