Andrea Freeman
Law professor and author of Ruin Their Crops on the Ground, researching intersections of critical race theory, food policy, and health; guest of the episode discussing food law and racialized food policy.
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Oct 17, 2025 • 1h 1min
Andrea Freeman, "Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: America’s Politics of Food, from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch" (Metropolitan Books, 2024)
Andrea Freeman, a law professor and author who investigates the intersections of food policy and race, discusses her groundbreaking book. She reveals how food has historically been wielded as a weapon of control, from destroying Indigenous crops in the 18th century to current racial disparities in nutrition. Freeman highlights the origins of frybread, the exploitation behind food rations for enslaved people, and the racialized branding of food. She advocates for a separation of nutrition policy from corporate interests, aiming to create equitable food systems.
Sep 2, 2024 • 8min
'Ruin their Crops on the Ground' tracks the history and politics of food in the U.S.
Andrea Freeman, an author diving into food policy and societal control, joins NPR journalist Ayesha Rascoe to discuss the darker aspects of American food history. They explore how government orders, like George Washington's to destroy Indigenous food sources, reveal a long tradition of using food for oppression. Freeman highlights the politics behind nutrition campaigns, such as the promotion of milk, and discusses ongoing health disparities affecting marginalized communities. Their conversation unveils the complex relationship between food, power, and culture in America.
