When a landowner dies without a will, state law typically divides ownership among all legal heirs, children, then grandchildren, then cousins, each holding a fractional, undivided interest in the whole property. This is called heirs’ property, and it is estimated to account for more than a third of Southern Black-owned land: roughly 3.5 million acres worth more than $28 billion. Researchers caution these are estimates; data on heirs’ property remain limited. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified heirs’ property as the leading cause of involuntary land loss among Black Americans.

Nolan Wells would have turned 19 Wednesday. Instead, loved ones penned an emotional letter and gathered for a vigil as Mississippi authorities continue investigating his death.

In this episode of the Seattle Medium's Rhythm & News Podcast, host Christopher B. Bennett sits down with Charlene Crowell to discuss the monumental...