The economy of the central Black Belt (named for its dark, productive soil) was built around large cotton plantations whose owners' wealth grew mainly from slave labor.
ðɪ ɪkˈɑːnəmi ʌvðə sˈɛntɹəl blˈæk bˈɛlt nˈeɪmd fɔːɹ ɪts dˈɑːɹk, pɹədˈʌktɪv sˈɔɪl wʌz bˈɪlt ɚɹˈaʊnd lˈɑːɹdʒ kˈɑːʔn̩ plæntˈeɪʃənz hˌuːz ˈoʊnɚz wˈɛlθ ɡɹˈuː mˈeɪnli fɹʌm slˈeɪv lˈeɪbɚ.