Morrill Inducted into USDA Hall of Heroes

Morrill Inducted into USDA Hall of Heroes

Today, Southern University is among the nation’s 18 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities because of the legislation introduced by Vermont Representative Smith Morrill in the “Agricultural College Act of 1890” as part of the Morrill Acts. The Morrill Land-Grant Acts allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges. The first Morrill Act was passed in 1862, and the second in 1890 to establish black land-grant colleges. The bill did not pass until Morrill proposed that the institutions would teach military tactics, engineering and agriculture.

In Washington, D.C., Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five new inductees into the USDA Hall of Heroes, September 15. Established in September 2000, the USDA Hall of Heroes recognizes those that have had a lasting impact on agriculture and related programs. These leaders – both past and present – receive a permanent tribute for their contributions to agriculture. This year’s honorees include Justin Smith Morrill, Norman Berg, Thomas Monroe Campbell, Senator Tom Harkin, and Senator George McGovern.

"Each of these individuals has dedicated their public and private lives to improving various facets of food and agriculture," Vilsack said in a statement. "As a result, rural communities are stronger, people in America and throughout the world have abundant food, kids have access to more nutritious meals, and our public and private lands are better conserved. It is an honor to recognize and pay tribute to those who have contributed greatly not only to USDA, but also those who live in this great country."

Justin Smith Morrill (1810-1898) acted as the driving force behind the College Land-Grant Act, the legislation which laid the framework for the highly productive, science-based agricultural systems still in place today. This legislation, known as the Morrill Acts, is complete with two governing principles: the equality of opportunity and the utility of knowledge. The Land-Grant Acts helped set up the Nation's system of land-grant colleges, providing public land to each state that financed Agricultural Education. The second Morrill Act required that no funding be distributed to any state that differentiated education on the basis of race, or that did not issue funds equitably to parallel institutions.

Norman Berg, Thomas Monroe Campbell, Justin Smith Morrill, and Senators Tom Harkin and George McGovern have their names added to plaques featured at the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building in Washington, D.C.