AAMU Leaders, Students Travel to Washington, D.C., to Honor 1890 Land-Grant Universities

As Alabama A&M University continues to celebrate its 150th Anniversary, the institution, along with President Daniel K. Wims and members of the President's Cabinet, joined all 19 of the nation’s 1890 Land-Grant Universities in Washington, D.C., this week to commemorate the 135th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act of 1890. The celebration honors a transformative piece of legislation that reshaped higher education and created new opportunities for African Americans through Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The story begins with Vermont Senator Justin Smith Morrill, who believed education should be accessible to all – not just the wealthy. His first Morrill Act of 1862 gave states federal land to establish public universities focused on agriculture, engineering, and mechanical arts. But when slavery ended in 1865, many Southern and border states still denied Black students entry into white colleges. To correct this, Congress passed the Second Morrill Act on August 30, 1890. The law required states practicing segregation to establish separate land-grant colleges for African Americans. This provision gave rise to today’s 19 “1890 Institutions,” including Alabama A&M University.

Alabama A&M traces its own land-grant identity to 1875, when founder William Hooper Councill opened the Huntsville Normal School with just 61 students. By 1891, the school was receiving federal funds from the Morrill Act to expand instruction in agriculture, engineering, and architecture. Over the decades, the institution evolved into a full land-grant university, and today AAMU is recognized nationally for research, STEM education, agriculture, and community service.

Today, the 1890 Land-Grant Universities are all eligible to receive federal funds for instructional and educational programs. Each state that has an 1890 university, also has an 1862 university – except Alabama, which is home to one 1862 (Auburn University) and two 1890s (Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University). Nationally, these 19 universities comprise the 1890 Land-Grant University System.

The D.C. observance highlights both the legacy and the future of these institutions. Monday, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund hosted its HEROES program at the University of the District of Columbia. Tuesday, students from across the 1890 Universities faced off in the inaugural Cyber + AI Games, a capture the flag style competition that challenged participants to solve real-world problems at the intersection of agriculture and technology. Alabama A&M's team, “25 Hack Street,” won the competition.

The celebration reached its peak Wednesday as President Wims and members of his cabinet met with Congressional leaders at the United States Capitol, followed by a reception at the National 4-H Council Headquarters, hosted by the 1890 Universities Foundation. Themed “135 Years Strong: Celebrating Legacy, Growing Opportunities, Inspiring Innovation, and Empowering Communities,” the reception highlighted the rich history and achievements of the 1890 Universities while also casting a vision for future advancements in research, education, and public service. AAMU administrators and faculty joined colleagues from across the nation at this signature event.

Today, there are 112 land-grant institutions nationwide, including 1994 Tribal Colleges and Universities created by the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, yet the 1890 Universities remain a vital force. Though HBCUs enroll about three percent of U.S. college students, they produce 20 percent of Black college graduates. For Alabama A&M University, the anniversary underscores both its proud history and its continuing mission to prepare students for leadership in agriculture, STEM, and beyond.