For more than a year, George Harris worked to solve two problems at once: providing business for African-American farmers in South Georgia and providing fresh fruit and vegetables to areas in Fulton County that rarely saw such food.
“He saw it as a win-win for both communities,” said Ariel Harris, his wife of 32 years. “One helping the other, that is what he wanted to see.”
Harris’ passion for the cause was undeniable, according to those who knew him. Despite his advanced age, Harris still worked tirelessly to find solutions for the lack of fresh produce in poverty-stricken communities and to provide market opportunities for blacks with small farms, particularly in South Georgia.
“He had such energy,” said Nazeera Dawood, a program Manager in Fulton County’s health and wellness department. “He came with ideas and solutions. We were constantly texting about ‘Can we do this,’ and ‘Can we do that,’ all hours of the day and night. It is like I’m just waiting for him to call now and say, ‘Come on Nazeera, we’ve got work to do.’ ”
George Ernest Harris Jr., of Decatur, died May 15 at DeKalb Medical Center of complications from heart and respiratory failure. He was 79.
A memorial service was held Thursday at the Atlanta Boulevard Seventh Day Adventist Church. A second memorial is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Fort Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church. Grissom-Clark Funeral Home was in charge of cremation arrangements.
At the time of Harris’ death, he was in the second year of a contract with Fulton County designed to bring fresh fruits and vegetables from South Georgia to “food deserts” in Fulton County.
A graduate of Atlanta and Princeton universities, Harris began doctoral work at Princeton, which fueled his desire to create opportunities between black farmers and communities without access to fresh produce. In 1986, Harris formed the Center for Family Farm Development, a nonprofit community development corporation designed to find business solutions for the problems black farmers faced. Recently that organization turned its eye toward community-level action, after contracting with Fulton County, his wife said.
For Harris, the answer to the problems of the two communities was simple, yet complex, said Godwin Onohwosa, who has been active with the farm CDC since the early 1990s.
“The idea of access was central to his vision,” Onohwosa said. “He was steadfast in his conviction that if access is granted, the small farmer would be able to compete and people in the community would be able to eat healthy food.”
Bob Greer, who worked with the farm development group since the late 1980s, said Harris was relentless in his efforts to change the plight of black farmers.
“He’s been at this in some form for around 32 years,” Greer said. “And he never gave up. He did what he could to help as many people as he could. That spirit will be missed.”
In addition to his wife, Harris is survived by a daughter and stepson from his first marriage, Krista Harris Cheatham of Columbia, Md., and George E. Harris Jr. of Orlando, Fla.; brother, Chester L. Harris of Huntsville, Ala.; sister, Joan Robinson of St. Louis, Mo.; and two granddaughters.
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