Community food security “for us, by us”: The nation of islam and the pan african orthodox christian church

This excerpt is from Black Christian Nationalism written by Albert Cleage. In it he describes his beliefs and methods on how blacks should empower themselves in what he deems to be a white supremacist society. This book also provides an ideal starting point for exploring how two Black Nationalist religious organizations are using food not only as a means to address hunger, but also as a tool of empowerment among blacks. In 1999, the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church (PAOCC) completed the purchase of over 1,500 acres of farmland on the border of Georgia and South Carolina to build a self-sustaining community called Beulah Land Farms. Their land acquisition has now grown to over 4,000 acres. Albert Cleage (1972), the founder of the PAOCC, envisioned a place where members of the church would come together, but also a place where inner-city youth would be exposed to nature and farmland.