*On this date, 1862, the Morrill Land-Grant Act was passed. This act enabled the establishment of land-grant colleges in U.S. states. It paved the way for many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to utilize the proceeds from the sale of federal land.
The Morrill Act of 1862 was enacted during the American Civil War, and the Morrill Act of 1890 (also known as the Agricultural College Act of 1890) expanded this model. For 20 years preceding the bill's introduction in 1857, a political movement had called for the creation of agricultural colleges. Professor Jonathan Baldwin Turner of Illinois College led the movement.
For example, the Michigan Constitution of 1850 mandated the establishment of an "agricultural school." It was not until February 12, 1855, that Michigan Governor Kinsley S. Bingham signed a bill establishing the United States' first agriculture college. That was the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, known today as Michigan State University, which served as a model for the Morrill Act.
