The first 10 years haven’t been easy. We’ve pivoted, adapted, and even expanded to more platforms. Through multiplatform reporting that reaches audiences at scale, we try to produce the kind of engaging, accessible reporting that cuts through the noise and delivers on its promise of smart, fearless journalism for all people.
In a groundbreaking partnership between Reveal and the Center for Public Integrity, 40 Acres and a Lie uncovered the names of more than 1,200 formerly enslaved people who received land grant reparations following the Civil War, only to have them taken back by the government and returned to former plantation owners.
As lead producer, I helped bring their stories to life in a three-part radio and podcast series on Reveal, six articles in Mother Jones, as well as a searchable land title database making records from the Freedmen’s Bureau readily available to the public for the first time.
Drawing national attention, 40 Acres and a Lie was featured on PBS NewsHour and NPR’s Fresh Air; republished by numerous other media outlets, including Essence, Word In Black, and the Richmond Free Press; and won a prestigious duPont-Columbia Award for audio reporting.
Investigations like 40 Acres and a Lie are time-consuming and expensive. We’re only able to produce this kind of journalism through your support. Thank you so much for making our work—my work—possible.
