By John Zippert and Maya Quinn
On August 13th-15th, the Federation of Southern Cooperative/Land Assistance Fund (FSC/LAF), or the Federation for short, met for its 59th Annual Meeting. The theme carried across the three days was titled “Sustaining the Future: Innovation, Resilience, and Member Engagement.” Civil rights legends were honored, attendees participated in meaningful workshops, and scholarships were awarded.
The Federation began its three-day gathering in Birmingham, Alabama, by awarding civil rights attorney for the Montgomery Bus Boycott cases and the Tuskegee Syphilis case, Fred David Gray, with the Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award. Gray represented prominent civil rights figures such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis. At 95 years of age, he is still practicing law today. His son, Fred Gray Jr., accepted the award on his behalf and invited people to visit his museum in Tuskegee. Cornelius Blanding went to Tuskegee in person last week to present the award to Attorney Gray.
The Federation has a courageous history rooted in its commitment to civil rights, offering hope amidst changes to agricultural legislation and discrimination with a cooperative business model. Members have waged a war on poverty since its inception in the 1960s. As M. J. O’Brien wrote in the Federation’s 50 Years of Courage, Cooperation, Commitment, and Community booklet, “This has been their plight: to live in the richest nation on earth, amidst the most fertile soil on the planet, and not have enough to eat, not be able to feed their families, and not for want of trying.”
The mission of the FSC/LAF is to be a catalyst for the development of self-supporting communities through cooperative economic development, land retention, and advocacy. This is accomplished through the Federation’s network of advocates, volunteers, educators, landowners, researchers, farmers, and others in rural communities.
Presently, the Federation has cooperatives and staff in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas. There are also some cooperatives and individual members of the Federation beyond these states in the 16 states and the District of Columbia in which the Federation is chartered. Each cooperative has individuals who help small farm owners purchase land, provide technical training, and improve their production yield through research-backed practices.
On Friday, the meeting shifted to the Federation’s Rural Training and Research Center, near Epes, Alabama. Workshops in cooperative development, land retention through clearing titles on heirs’ property, and forestry production were held.
Following the workshops, there was a presentation on the Federation’s Memorial Legacy Park project. The purpose of the project is to recognize the grassroots community leaders who helped form the Federation, such as its First Executive Director, Charles O. Prejean, for their work in the Civil Rights Movement to gain economic justice and equity for Black farmers, landowners, and underserved rural people. Federation members were urged to contribute to the project as a down payment on its full development over the next few years.
On Saturday morning, there was a prayer breakfast in honor of Mattie Mack, a former Board member of the Federation from Kentucky. After breakfast, there was a business meeting, including reports from the Board of Directors, Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director, and caucuses of the members present by state, to make suggestions on the direction and projects of the organization for the future.
Under tents outside the formal meetings, Edwin Chavous, Kentucky State University’s technical assistance coordinator and small farms outreach trainer, was observed advising rural farmers. He informed listeners that the program educates farmers in direct marketing: selling their products directly to consumers via farmers’ markets, vendors’ booths in public spaces, etc. The Southeastern African American Farmers Organization Network (SAAFON) from North Carolina provided literacy and education on better production and organic compliance. Ben Burkett, a watermelon grower and seed expert with the Mississippi Association of Cooperatives, educated attendees on the various types of watermelon flesh: pink, red, yellow, orange, and even white.
At the conclusion of the Federation’s Business meeting, the Board presented seven students from its multi-state membership with scholarships named for Anulet ‘Pat’ Jackson, a former staff member. These scholarships further illustrated the organization’s commitment to legacy and the future.
For more information on the Federation and the Memorial Park Legacy Master Plan, visit its website at: www.federation.coop.
Featured Image: Cornelius Blanding presenting Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award to Attorney Fred GrayCornelius Blanding presenting Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award to Attorney Fred Gray
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