Sandhills Family Heritage Association: Celebrating a Region and its Culture

The Sandhills region has long been recognized by conservationists as one of the most distinctive and endangered ecosystems in North Carolina and the country. Fewer folks, however, are aware of the unique African American culture that flourished in this landscape and exists to this day. The Conservation Fund's Resourceful Communities program helped focus community efforts to celebrate and share this rich heritage.

Participants in the Gardening and Gleaning Project

- Sandhills Family Heritage Association

Summary

The Sandhills Family Heritage Association (SFHA) works to preserve that culture, which is inextricably linked to the land and the ability to live self-sufficiently from it. SFHA provides programs and services to build economic self-sufficiency and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of African American families in the Sandhills.

Challenge

Almost every parcel of land in the historically African American communities of Harnett and Cumberland Counties had an entrepreneurial business attached to it - a barber shop, beauty salon, garage, dressmaker, grocery store, or other business – in addition to local farms. Despite these strong traditions of place-based economic self-sufficiency, land loss and larger economic trends had significantly weakened ties to this practice.

Solution

Resourceful Communities helped establish SFHA in 2001, providing direct technical assistance in strategic planning, board development and member-driven program planning. Resourceful Communities continues to partner with SFHA to provide peer learning opportunities, connection to conservation resources, direct program funding and more.

In 2003 The Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities Program facilitated asset mapping in the Sandhills region. During this unique effort, Resourceful Communities and SFHA worked to involve all community members. Community outreach and mapping revealed a history of large and abundant African American land holdings that had been lost and a rich history of entrepreneurship. The process also revealed important cultural ties to the area’s rich natural resources.

Results

Today, the Sandhills Family Heritage Association provides programs and services to build economic self sufficiency and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of African American families in the Sandhills. Their work focuses on:

• heritage preservation (oral history preservation, cultural festivals, and heritage tours);
• land ownership & retention (seminars, workshops and publications that educate and provide tools to landowners);
• public education & outreach (DVD, books, and other media that highlight African American land traditions); and
• sustainable economic development (establishment of local farmers market, proposed business incubator and commercial kitchen, and heritage tours).

In 2008, SFHA was recognized with the North Carolina Folklore Society’s Community Traditions Award. This annual award recognizes a group’s contributions to the continuation and appreciation of folklife in North Carolina.

For more information on the Community Asset Mapping Project, view the case study »

Learn more about SFHA at www.sfha-nc.org.