Black Belt

Band of fertile land in the deep south of the USA. Measuring some 480 km/300 mi long by 40-48 km/25-30 mi wide, this area of rolling prairie lies north of the Gulf Coastal Plain, and extends across central Alabama and into Mississippi. It is named after its dark soil, which is rich in clay and limestone. The Black Belt was formerly the most important cotton-growing region of the USA.

Before the Civil War, the Black Belt was the South's main agricultural region. The widespread use of slave labour on its cotton plantations led to the misconception that ‘black’ referred to its population. In Mississippi, the Black Belt is known as the Black Prairie. The depletion of the cotton crop by the boll weevil, soil erosion, and various other economic factors encouraged farmers to diversify their crops by the early 20th century. Although cotton is still grown today, soybeans, peanuts, vegetables, and livestock are of greater importance.