1982
| U.S. Civil Rights Commission issues a report predicting black farmers would be extinct by the year 2000.
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1983
| Fred Mathis dies.
Land Loss Prevention Project created by the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers.
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1985
| Constitutional Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee holds hearings in Robeson County, NC to investigate complaints of alleged discrimination in Farm Home Administration programs. Tim Pigford testifies at congressional hearings.
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1987
| Lawyer attempts to steal the farm of Charlene's uncle, Leroy James.
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1992
| Black-owned farms fall to 2,498, a decline of 64% in 15 years.
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1994
| The Land Loss Prevention Project files a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit on behalf of black farmers and turns over information to Congress to investigate discriminatory practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1980s and early 90s.
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1996
| 1000 Black farmers file class action lawsuit against the USDA for discriminatory practices against black farmers.
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1997
| Black Farmers & Agriculturists Association is founded by Tim Pigford - lead plaintiff in the black farmers class action lawsuit against the USDA.
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1998
| After years of pressure from the Congressional Black Caucus members serving on the House Agriculture Committee, Congress passes a law waiving the 2-year statute of limitation in the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This waiver allows farmers who tried to file complaints at the USDA during the period between January 1981 and July 1997 and were victims of the USDA closure of its civil rights investigative arm, to file new complaints today. This law also becomes basis of Federal Judge Paul Freidman's consent decree order settling the class action lawsuit in 1999.
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1999
| Lula Mathis dies.
On January 5, the USDA settles the lawsuit, agreeing to pay $50,000 to black farmers who claim discrimination by the Agriculture Department through denial of government loans, disaster relief and other aid. Many of these farmers have already lost their land. The Land Loss Prevention Project files another lawsuit seeking protection for black farmers from default by the U.S. Government in paying claims.
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2000
| The Land Loss Prevention Project plans to file a class action lawsuit to challenge USDA practices that continue to discriminate against Black farmers.
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