On August 30, 1890, some 23 years after the end of Reconstruction, Congress enacted the Second Morrill Act, a landmark in American higher education. Its impact continues to resonate one hundred thirty-five years later.
When the first Morrill Act of 1862 was enacted, one year and one month after 
Dr. G. Dale Wesson
With agriculture at the peak of its political ambit, the Second Morrill Act sought to correct this injustice by granting federal appropriation to all Land-Grant institutions. However, it required states that refused to integrate their 1862 Land-Grant colleges to create separate institutions for African Americans as a precondition of receiving federal funds. The 1890 Land-Grant universities emerged from this mandate - born of exclusion but destined to become champions of inclusion.
The 1890 universities have far exceeded the modest vision of their origins, becoming leaders in all areas of academia: research, teaching, and community engagement.
- Scientific Research and Innovation. North Carolina A&T State University has become the nation’s top producer of Black engineers. Tuskegee University has shaped advances in veterinary and animal science, food safety, and human nutrition. Florida A&M University (FAMU), through its Centers for Biological Control, Viticulture, and Water Resources, has strengthened national priorities in agriculture and sustainability. FAMU led all HBCUs in non‑medical research and development funding, reporting $59.3 million in R&D expenditures and $75.5 million in total awards for 2021–2022, according to its 2024 Accountability Plan (based on NSF HERD data)
- Extension and Community Engagement. The 1890s run extension programs in dozens of counties, equipping small farmers with sustainable practices, providing nutrition education to families, and helping entrepreneurs grow businesses. These efforts bring research-based solutions directly to underserved communities.
- Workforce Development. Collectively, the 1890 universities graduate thousands each year in agriculture, STEM, health sciences, and education. Many are first-generation college students whose upward social and economic mobility transforms their lives and their families’ and communities’.
- Economic Impact. A recent USDA report noted that 1890 universities contribute billions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy through research, workforce preparation, and innovation - without abandoning their founding mission of affordability and access.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of the 1890 universities is their unwavering commitment to inclusion. Though created in an era of segregation, they never shut their doors to students based on race or gender. From the start, they embodied the idea that higher education should be a pathway for all, a principle not often seen in the early history of American colleges.
This contrasts with some original 1862 Land-Grant universities, which have grown large, selective, and prohibitively expensive. By contrast, the 1890s have stayed true to their Land-Grant mission, serving students from underrepresented and economically challenged backgrounds while lifting entire communities.
The 135th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act isn’t just a milestone - it’s a reminder that our work isn’t finished. Despite all the progress the 1890 universities have made, they’ve long been shortchanged—some estimates show a staggering $12 billion funding gap compared to their 1862 counterparts. That’s why the former administration recently called on states to finally close these gaps and honor the original promise of the Act.
Still, the story of the 1890s is not one of entitlement; it’s one of determination. Time and again, these institutions have turned exclusion into inclusion and struggle into strength. Born out of inequality, they have always built toward excellence. Now, their future depends on whether our nation is willing to meet their grit with the support they’ve long earned.
The 1890 Land-Grant universities remind us that higher education is not a privilege for the few but a promise to the people. Their story is still being written, and with renewed commitment, their next 135 years will expand opportunity, drive innovation, and uplift the true “sons and daughters of the soil.”
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Dr. G. Dale Wesson serves as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Director of Land-Grant Programs at Florida A&M University.
