EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH LAND OWNERSHIP
Who We Are
Our Story
In 1930, when systemic racism and gender discrimination conspired to deny Black Americans access to land ownership, Elease Woods-McKnight defied overwhelming odds to purchase 100 acres in rural South Carolina. Her achievement represents far more than a real estate transaction—it embodies a profound declaration of faith in the future, a commitment to intergenerational wealth building, and an act of resistance against systems designed to perpetuate dispossession.
Today, as we approach the centennial of her remarkable purchase, we recognize that our unbroken stewardship of this land carries both the weight of ancestral sacrifice and the responsibility to amplify her vision for generations to come. While approximately ninety percent of Black-owned agricultural land has been lost since 1920, our family's continuous ownership stands as a powerful counter-narrative to the dominant pattern of dispossession.
OUR MISSION
The Woods-McKnight Estate Family Enterprise exists to transform our extraordinary inheritance into a catalyst for social change, economic empowerment, and environmental stewardship. We are committed to leveraging our inherited assets to create meaningful impact that honors our ancestors while addressing contemporary challenges facing rural communities, minority landowners, and environmental conservation efforts.
Our approach integrates economic sustainability with social responsibility, environmental conservation with cultural preservation, and family legacy with community development. Through strategic forestry management, sustainable agricultural practices, conservation partnerships, and educational initiatives, we demonstrate how family-owned land can serve multiple purposes simultaneously—generating income for family security, providing environmental benefits for broader ecosystems, creating opportunities for community engagement, and preserving cultural heritage for future generations.
WHAT WE DO
Land Stewardship & Conservation
We practice sustainable forestry management and participate in USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, contributing to climate resilience and environmental sustainability while demonstrating how private landowners can serve as partners in broader conservation efforts.
Community Education & Advocacy
Through partnerships with organizations like the Center for Heirs' Property Preservation and the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, we share our knowledge, resources, and experiences with other families facing challenges related to heir property complications, predatory lending practices, and land retention.
Historical Preservation
We preserve and share Elease Woods-McKnight's story through documentary projects, oral history initiatives, and educational partnerships that ensure her legacy contributes to public understanding of the complex intersections between race, gender, economics, and land rights in American history.
Economic Development
We reinvest enterprise profits into community development initiatives, educational programs, and support for other family land enterprises, creating multiplier effects that extend our impact far beyond what any single family could achieve in isolation.