40 Acres and a Lie

Tone: Reflective, Investigative
Format: Documentary
Average duration: 45–60 min

It’s often thought of as a promise that was never kept. But “40 acres and a mule” was more than that. It was real. 40 Acres and a Lie tells the history of an often-misunderstood government program that gave formerly enslaved people land titles, only to take the land back. This three-part series from Reveal and the Center for Public Integrity explores a reparation that wasn’t and the wealth gap that remains.

Produced by:: Reveal
Years released:: 2024

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40 Acres and a Lie: Part 1

June 15, 2024E153 min

reparations

Patricia Bailey's house, high among the trees in lush Edisto Island, sits on land that was passed down by her great-great-grandfather. He was one of more than 1,200 freedmen granted 40 acres land by General Sherman's Field Orders, no. 15 – who then saw that land taken away. None of the land Bailey lives on today is part of his original 40 acres. Instead, her family’s wealth is built on her ancestor’s determination to get and keep land of his own, after losing what he thought he had gained.

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40 Acres and a Lie

Episodes

40 Acres and a Lie: Part 1