COTTON, AN AMERICAN STORY

 

Alabama, Tennessee

Cotton growing is deeply rooted in the history of the United States of America, and is marked by tales of prosperity and suffering. From the vast fields of the South, this type of agriculture has shaped the economic and social landscape of the country, symbolizing both oppression and resilience. 
To understand the legacy of cotton in the Southern states today and to tell the story of how communities live with their past, Maud Delaflotte followed several long established families. 
In Alabama, in Tanner, the Bridgeforth family, who are Black and descendants of freed slaves, have developed the state’s largest farm, founded in c.1877. Nearby, white farmers, descendants of the first cotton producers, continue with family traditions whilst facing new challenges particularly modern mechanized farming method and climate change.