with Teju Adisa-Farrar, Sha'Mira Covington
In the growing sustainability movement, organic cotton has been used as a tool of greenwashing by many brands while leaving many questions about its history, farming and processing unanswered. This course looks at the origins of cotton and how they relate to colonialism, cultural erasure and the ongoing struggle of Black Brown and Indigenous Peoples around the world.
Resources:
Books/Literary Texts/Articles
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Empire of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert
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The Half Has Never Been Told : Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist
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Black Bodies, White Gold: Art, Cotton, and Commerce in the Atlantic World by Anna Arabindan-Kesson
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African Textiles by John Mack and John Picton
Who/What to Follow
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COTTON IS OUR CULTURE
Teju Adisa-Farrar
Teju is a Jamaican-American writer, poet and geographer. Her focus is on contemporary and historical Black geographies as they relate to the environment, urban ecologies and culture. Having lived in 7 different countries, Teju uses a transnational lens that is informed by history, art and activism. Her work supports developing alternatives, creating infrastructure for regenerative projects, and participating in co-creation. She advocates for and speaks about environmental and climate justice focusing on urban areas, communities of color, and postcolonial populations.
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