A deeply personal and meticulously researched book, Ms. Baker shows us the backstory and impact of land theft, how it has affected Black and Indigenous people then and how it continues to affect them today and how the continued theft of Black and Indigenous land will affect everyone in the future and what it truly means for the land in general.

A must-read book, this will have you questioning so much [I know my eyes were opened to things I had NO IDEA about], and will leave you wanting to learn even more.


I was invited to read/review this by the publisher [Random House Publishing Group - Random House/One World] and I thank them, Brea Baker, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Rooted" is a powerful read that explores the history of land theft from Black families in America. It's a mix of memoir and historical analysis, making it both informative and personal.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House One World for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a engrossing read covering the history of land displacement of Blacks from the time they could own and cultivate land, to those Blacks who were rich and owned areas of land, Black communities that were razed and people killed and how all of this adds up financially for those that were uprooted and the wealth gap that now exists. The book also shows the resilience of black communities and how they took care of their own and how people are now going back to the land of their people. For many it is foreign as it was taken away so many generations ago but giving land back should be part of the reparations as so much comes from having a place or your own, a home for the generations, natural resources to sustain your people and an area where your community can flourish. This book connects all the dots of the damage that has been done to break a people but they continue to strive and thrive.

4.5 stars
I tend to rate memoirs very highly because it is their story to tell. But I also tend to rate academic historical works more harshly because you are telling other people’s stories and that carries a weight. Rooted straddles the line with author Brea Barker sharing some of her and her family’s stories about land ownership, primarily in North Carolina. The book also gives a long lens view of Black land ownership over the course of American history. The personal is political and the political is personal. It’s not easy to write a book like this at the right level. Brea Barker walked the line between family stories and researched history very well. If you’re aiming for the average person, you need to add context for people to understand the historical and current political setting. But you also need to cut to the chase or else the length of info will quickly become overwhelming for the reader. The author straddled that line very well. At times, I did find the authorial voice a bit jarring because I’d be evaluating it as an academic historical text but the descriptive language would become personalized. I did a google search & their website clearly states that the author embraces “nuanced storytelling” and that encapsulated the reading experience for me. This book clicked in on historical land theft and the current movement for land ownership in the Black community in such researched and illustrative detail. It is a difficult read but one that should be added to university reading lists.
*Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advance reader copy

Rooted is a well researched book about the history of Black land ownership and land theft. The author uses her own family history tied to their ancestral land to guide this book.

I appreciated the background information included on the Indigenous people who lived in the different areas discussed.

It asks some really great questions about reparations for both Black and Indigenous peoples.

Overall, I recommend it.

Being published June 18th, this is the perfect read to honor Juneteenth! Told through the history of her own family as well as other extensively researched examples, Ms. Baker shows the exact steps that were taken by individuals, the government, and corporate bodies to steal land from the formerly enslaved and their descendants. Having read several books regarding the horrors we continue to perpetrate against Blacks, I was impressed at how focused Ms. Baker remained on her topic despite the myriad of detours and distractions that could have taken her off course. As the title suggests, the book singles in on the ownership and kinship with land, past present and future. Ms. Baker made me understand how important a connection to the land is to people, the importance of nurturing that connection, and importantly how to achieve that connection and security. The book discusses the overall disconnect between Black people and the land and the dearth of Black participation with the many parks and outdoor activities. I'd suggest those interested in others encouraging outdoor discovery to find Alison Marie Desir and Mirna Valerio on IG. They are both huge proponents of trail running, hiking, and getting Black people into the outdoors. While it isn't growing your own food, it is a connection. Additionally, I found the suggestions on reparations at the end of the book to be insightful and thought provoking.

Rooted provided a clear and concise understanding of land and wealth gap. This book was dense but valuable in understanding racial politics.

I was interested in this book because I had already learned about the issues with Black ownership of oil producing homesteads in New Mexico, Jim Crow laws where Black land owners were stripped of their property, and the history of racism towards Black farmers by the USDA. I was disappointed in this book because it seemed to have a very narrow focus which was the area that author's family owned land. It didn't seem like the topic was very thoroughly researched.

This novel combines the emotions of a family story with the strength of a historical examination done by a well-research writer.

Baker weaves her family’s history through the book’s examination of stolen land through the US. Covering everything from the racial wealth gap to stolen Indigenous land this book looks at who owns stolen land and who owns stolen labor.

Baker lays a dedicated case for both questions and challenges the reader to find flaws in her thinking.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in learning about ancestral land and America’s stolen land.

This one was tough to read in some parts. I thought it was great, very informative. You know I even liked how it connected to other modern colonization happening currently, yes I was excited when it mentioned Puerto Rico. All because as I kept reading it I just kept seeing the parallels.

Honestly I recommend this to everyone.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ROOTED: THE AMERICAN LEGACY OF LAND THEFT IN THE MODERN MOVEMENT FOR BLACK OWNERSHIP by Brea Baker made a convert out of me. Not that I was a doubter, but I had no idea of how pervasive and pernicious the current system of white normativity (my word, not Baker’s) and capitalism has been for generations. Entities that I had assumed helped Black farmers, such as the USDA, have been part of the problem, as the author so exhaustively explains. She skillfully weaves together her own personal story, the historical chronology, along with interviews, personal oral accounts, sociological research, literature. She assembles a lot of material, in service to her thesis, that “where land and its resources are commodities, the exclusion and expulsion of Black and Indigenous people from the land economy has been an act of financial warfare.” She tells stories of loss and pain, also stories of success and resilience, and even more importantly, stories of the way forward. Not fast enough, but better than continuing compounding loss. And so much more. This was a difficult book for me to read. I had to take breaks before continuing a couple times, but I understand the case for reparations in a way I had not previously.

With thanks to NetGalley and One World Publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Just not my style of nonfiction (masking as an academic text but then not really citing sources very effectively, and using very casual language), although I hope this book finds its audience!

Amazing look at how deeply embedded into the soil - literally - racism is here. Of course everyone knows the white European settlers stole Indigenous lands and enslaved Blacks but this looks at so many other ways the US otherwise denied Indigenous and Black people their freedoms. A worthwhile read for sure.

Penniman's writing is impassioned and insightful, offering a compelling call to action for addressing historical injustices and advocating for equitable land distribution and ownership. Through "Rooted," she not only educates readers about the profound impact of land theft on Black communities but also inspires hope for a future where land sovereignty is recognized as a fundamental right for all.

This book is written with earnestness and enthusiasm, and in that regard is kind of sweet. It works well as a family memoir. However, it suffers from naiveté and inexperience in writing non-fiction meant for general readers (and would need heavy revision to pass muster at a university press). Analyses and data points are awkwardly woven in; Baker repeats academics' full names and titles and findings in a kind of a worshipful way but without much discourse or full engagement with their ideas; and the pop culture references are too often shoehorned in and don't add to the book but rather are distractions in many cases. I know this probably hasn't been copyedited yet, so I hope these things get addressed. I feel like it could really use a developmental edit to be all it could be.

"Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership" by Brea Baker explores the impact of land theft and displacement on the racial wealth gap in America. In this meticulously researched work, Baker addresses the historical context of Indigenous and Black land ownership and traces the harmful legacy of exploitation and injustice from colonial times to the present day.

Drawing from her own family history of land loss in Kentucky and North Carolina, Baker shows readers how land theft has perpetuated systemic inequality and widened racial disparities. She reveals the devastating consequences of land theft, which has not only deprived Black communities of economic opportunities but also robbed them of their connection to the land.

One of the aspects I enjoy most about this book is how the author examines land theft from various angles and perspectives. Baker ties together personal narratives, historical accounts, and contemporary research to offer a comprehensive understanding of the issue. From wrongful property tax assessments to the psychological toll of dispossession (love the connections she makes to Black mental and familial health), she sheds light on the multifaceted ways in which land theft continues to affect Black Americans today.

Baker celebrates the determination of Black farmers and landowners who have fought against systemic oppression to reclaim their rightful heritage. Through her meticulous attention to detail, she pays homage to unsung heroes and their unwavering commitment to freedom and community. "Rooted" is a call to action for collective economic and environmental independence within the Black community. By highlighting the importance of land ownership as a means of empowerment and self-determination, Baker offers a compelling vision for a more just and equitable future. She does a phenomenal job of helping readers understand the cost our ancestors paid for land ownership as well as the consequences we face if we remain disconnected from our roots.

"Rooted" is truly a groundbreaking work that not only exposes the historical injustices of land theft but also offers a roadmap for reclaiming ancestral lands and building a more equitable society. Brea Baker's profound insights, coupled with her evocative storytelling, make this book essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of race, land, and power in America. Thank you so very much to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read.

Brea Baker is, first and foremost, a freedom fighter. She has been working on the frontlines for almost a decade including contributing to dozens of electoral and advocacy campaigns. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Yale and has been recognized as a 2023 Creative Capital awardee, a 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year and much more.

With "Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership," Baker explores the impact of land theft and violent displacement on racial wealth gaps. She poses the quesiton "Why is less than 1% of rural land in the U.S. owned by Black people?"

Then, Baker begins to unpack it all.

Writing in a way that is both well-informed and deeply personal, Baker explores the historic attacks on Indigenous and Black land ownership and looks at one of this nation's first sins - stealing, hoarding, and commodifying the land.

Baker notes that research suggests that between 1910-1997, Black Americans lost about 90% of their farmland. This land theft widened the racial wealth gap, privatized natural resources, and created a permanent barrier to access that should be a birthright for Black and Indigenous communities.

Throughout "Rooted," Baker speaks of her own family's experiences in Kentucky and North Carolina. She also speaks with love and admiration of her grandparents' commitment to Black land ownership and the area that would become known as Bakers Acres.

"Rooted" is a passionate call for reparations and an embrace of certain paths toward that act of justice that can heal both the land and, in Baker's words, "our nation's soul."

There's a matter-of-factness to "Rooted" that some will find jarring. I found it rather refreshing, a passionate truth-telling and call into action grounded in extensive research and personal testimonial. In a country where institutionalized racism is still prevalent, it is practically undeniable that "Rooted" won't resonate with everyone. So be it. For those in search of a better and more just way, "Rooted" is engaging and powerfully reasoned reading that demands our attention.

This is going to appeal to a hyper-specific niche, but easy four to five stars for those people.

I stopped after chapter 1. It wasn’t personally gripping, and I didn’t find myself interested in the author’s story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.