Langston University celebrates the 135th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act locally and nationally
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Posted By: Ellie Melero on August 08, 2025 LANGSTON, Okla.––Langston University will celebrate the 135th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act throughout August and early September, celebrating its heritage as one of the 19 historically Black land-grant universities in the United States and embracing its mission to support agricultural industries through research, outreach and extension. Celebrations will take place nationally throughout the month, and the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences (SL/SAAS) will spearhead the Oklahoma-area activities. Festivities began with the 135th Anniversary Expo Kickoff on Aug. 1, and they will continue throughout the coming weeks with activities like weekly Analytics and Financial Resource Center Speaker Series and research facilities tours. The 135th Anniversary Celebrations will culminate with the launch of the 1890 Cyber + AI Games along with a formal reception in Washington, D.C. Sept. 9-10. “We celebrate the Morrill Act of 1890 as the foundation for the existence of 1890 Land-Grant Universities,” said Dr. Wesley Whittaker, Dean of SL/SAAS. “Building on a proud legacy, our institutions continue to thrive as they educate a vast array of scholars, including first-generation and economically disadvantaged students, strengthening the resilience of limited-resource businesses, farmers, families, underserved communities, and advancing cutting-edge research with real-world impact.” Passed on Aug. 30, 1890, the Second Morrill Act expanded upon the original Morrill Act of 1862 and created the framework under which the 1890 Land-Grant Universities were founded. It required states with land-grant schools to either allow Black students to enroll in their existing institutions or create separate schools for Black students. Langston University was founded in 1897 as the Colored Agricultural and Normal University through the Second Morrill Act. Land-grant universities hold a special place in the American higher education landscape. Created through the (first) Morrill Act of 1862, land-grant universities shifted the focus of higher education from the previous European model intended for government and religious leaders to one with an emphasis on agricultural and mechanical arts. In doing so, they expanded educational opportunities for ordinary citizens. Today, land-grant institutions offer a wide variety of degree programs, but a large focus remains on agricultural education, extension, research and development. Oklahoma has three land-grant institutions: Langston University, Oklahoma State University and the College of the Muscogee Nation. “The land-grant philosophy is even more relevant today given the dynamic complexity of the socioeconomic environment where an integrated systems approach provides the best likelihood of generating solutions that are responsive to the intricate dynamism of our environment,” Dr. Whittaker said. “Together, the 1890 universities continue to improve the socioeconomic status of our communities' citizens and help transform lives at the local, regional, national, and global levels.” Currently, Langston University serves 46 Oklahoma counties through SL/SAAS extension programs. These include programs for Family and Consumer Sciences, Community Resource Development, 4-H and Youth Development, and Agriculture and Natural Resources. For more information about Langston University’s Second Morrill Act Anniversary Celebrations, visit langston.edu/135th-anniversary. ### Langston University is Oklahoma’s HBCU. Made up of six academic schools and offering over 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, LU provides students with a world-class education that includes hands-on learning through impactful research and beneficial internships. LU has campuses in Langston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as a nursing program site in Ardmore. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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