The Black Earth Region is famous for its high-quality chernozem (Russian for 'black earth') soil. Although its importance has been primarily agricultural, the Soviets developed the Chernozem Region as an industrial region based on the iron ores of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly.
The composition of the Central Black Earth Oblast was determined on 16 July 1928, and its districts were founded on 30 July of the same year. Later, from 1929 to 1933, these districts were revised several times.
On 3 June 1929, Voronezh, the centre of the region, was designated as an independent administrative unit directly subordinate to the regional Congress of Soviets and its executive committee.
On 16 September 1929, the Voronezh Okrug was abolished, and its territory became the Stary Oskol and Usman Okrugs.