Embedded Files
National FFA History
1910's
1917 - The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act established Vocational Agriculture Courses
1920's
1925 - Virginia Tech agriculture education teachers organized the Future Farmers of Virginia for the boys in the agriculture classes
1927 - G. W. Owens and Dr. H. O. Sargent wrote the first constitution and bylaws of the New Farmers of Virginia, an organization for African American students in the agriculture classes
1928 - The Future Farmers of America was established at the 1928, American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri
1928 - The first National FFA Convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri; and was attended by 33 delegates from 18 states
1928 - Leslie Applegate of New Jersey, was elected as the first National FFA President
1929 - In November of 1929, 33 states were represented by 64 delegates at the second National FFA Convention
1929 - National Blue and Corn Gold were adopted as the official FFA colors
1929 - The first Star Farmer of America award was presented to Carlton Patton of Arkansas
1930's
1930 - E.M. Tiffany wrote the official FFA Creed and it was adopted by the FFA
1930 - First Official Dress Uniform was adopted which was: a dark blue skirt, blue or white pants, blue cap, and a yellow tie
1930 - Delegates restrict members to boys only
1933 - The blue corduroy jacket that we still wear today, became apart of the official dress
1935 - Active FFA membership exceeds 100,000 members
1935 - New Farmers of America was founded for the black students of the agriculture classes
1939 - The FFA owned its first National Headquarters near Alexandria, Virginia
1940's
1942 - During the National FFA Convention only 217 people attended, since there were thousands of FFA members serving our country
1944 - Future Farmers of America Foundation was formed
1944 - 138,548 FFA members were serving in the armed services in World War II
1944 - The First National FFA Agriculture Proficiency Award is presented for Agricultural Mechanics
1947 - The first National FFA Band performed at the National FFA Convention
1948 - The first National FFA Chorus was held at the National FFA Convention
1948 - The first National FFA Talent Program was held at the National FFA Convention
1948 - The first National FFA Week was celebrated during the week of George Washington's birthday
1950's
1950 - A bill passed by the 81st Congress of the United States that grants FFA a federal charter. On August 30, President Harry S. Truman signed the bill, and it became Public Law 81-740
1952 - The first National FFA Magazine was published
1953 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower became the first president to speak at a National FFA Convention
1957 - Former President Harry S. Truman spoke during the National FFA Convention
1960's
1965 - The NFA (New Farmers of America) merged with the FFA
1968 - Presidential candidate Richard Nixon attended the National FFA Convention in Kansas City
1969 - The girls of the agriculture classes were finally allowed to join the FFA Organization
1969 - First National Star in Agribusiness was given to Ken Dunagan from Arizona
1969 - The FFA Washington Conference now called Washington Leadership Conference began
1970's
1972 - National FFA Alumni Association is chartered as an affiliate of the National FFA Organization
1973 - Official Dress Standards are created which include; for boys: black shoes, black dress pants, a white button up shirt, a FFA jacket, and a FFA tie; for girls: black shoes, black dress pants or black skirt evenly hemmed (if skirt wear black tights), white button up shirt or blouse, a FFA jacket, and a FFA scarf
1974 - Fred McClure from Texas was the first African American elected to a National FFA Office
1976 - Julie Smiley of Washington was elected to a national office
1976 - Alaska became the last of the 50 states to obtain a national charter
1978 - 1978 marks 50 years since the first National FFA Convention
1980's
1982 - Jan Eberly of California, became the first female National FFA President
1988 - Future Farmers of America changed its name to the National FFA Organization to represent all the other parts of agriculture including; truck driving, vets, and agribusiness
1988 - FFA opens membership to seventh and eighth grade students
1989 - The National Future Farmer magazine changed its name to FFA New Horizons
1990's
1991 - FFA Chapters in the Virgin Islands and Guam, along with five chapters in Micronesia, were chartered
1994 - Corey Flourney of Illinois was the first African American to be elected National FFA President; he was also the first urban student leader
1998 - Jose Santiago was elected to national office; he was the first member from Puerto Rico to serve as a national FFA officer
1999 - The location of the National FFA Convention changed from Kansas City, Missouri to Louisville, Kentucky
2000's
2002 - First female Star Farmer was named: Karlene Lindow from Wisconsin
2003 - Javier Moreno of Puerto Rico was elected National FFA President; he also became the first Puerto Rican and the first person with a native language, other than English, elected as a National FFA President
2006 - The location of the National FFA Convention changed again from Louisville, Kentucky to Indianapolis, Indiana
2007 - In 2007, there were 500,823 members and 7,358 chapters across the United States
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