Morrill Act of 1862

What is the Morrill Act of 1862?

A bill that donated 30,000 acres of public land for each sitting senator and representative in Congress to establish colleges and universities. These colleges were meant to provide a practical education for the common person, in agriculture, military tactics, and engineering. 

Who benefited from this act?

 White males "common class" are the primary beneficiaries.  The land could be divided and sold to "benefit education programs;" however, this allowed others to take advantage, and not all the proceeds went to educational programs.

Who did not benefit from this?

Due to the segregation laws of the southern states, black individuals could not benefit from the land-grant colleges and universities. 

There was no "public land". The land that was given to the states belonged to the indigenous people of the regions. Using scare tactics, these groups were forced out of their land. 

Common Misconceptions

Land was appropriated and taken from Indigenous tribes, the lands were seized and then turned into college endowments

Land was not meant to be sold off as some states did, for farming and profit, the purpose of the land was to promote agriculture

Land-grab universities

Expropriated Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system.

by: Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone March 30, 2020

https://www.hcn.org/issues/52-4/indigenous-affairs-education-land-grab-universities/