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1917 Smith-Hughes Act
The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act, (both Senator Hoke Smith and Representative Dudley Hughes were from Georgia) establishes vocational agriculture courses. -
1925
Virginia Tech agricultural education teacher educators Henry C. Groseclose, Harry W. Sanders, Walter S. Newman, and Edmund C. Magil organized the Future Farmers of Virginia (FFV) for boys in agriculture classes. The FFV serves as the model for the Future Famers of America. -
1926
The first National Congress of Vocational Agriculture Students assembles for a National Livestock Judging Contest at the American Royal Livestock and Horse Show in Kansas City, MO. -
1927
H.O. Sargent, a federal agent for agricultural education for African-Americans at the U.S. Office of Education, and G.W. Owens, a teacher-trainer at Virginia State College, write the first constitution and bylaws for the New Farmers of Virginia, an organization for African-American agriculture students. The organization holds its first state rally that same year. -
1928
First National FFA Convention is held in Kansas City, MO.: 33 delegates from 18 states are in attendance.
Leslie Applegate from New Jersey is elected the first national FFA president. -
1929
National blue and corn gold are adopted as official FFA colors. -
1930
Official FFA Creed, written by E.M. Tiffany, is adopted.
First Official Dress uniform is adopted: dark blue shirt, blue or white pants, blue cap, and yellow tie. -
1931
The National FFA Radio Program on NBC is launched. -
1932
A charter is granted to the Puerto Rico FFA Association. -
1933
Blue corduroy jacket is adopted as Official Dress. -
1935
NFA is founded as a national organization at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. -
1937
During the National FFA Convention, action is taken to establish a national FFA camp and leadership training school in Washington D.C. -
1939
28.5 acres of land is purchased near Alexandria, Va., for the first FFA-owned national headquarters; the land was once part of George Washington. -
1942
FFA members join in the war effort. Three former FFA members-Hobert Gray from Texas, Travis Hoover from California, and Melvin Jordan from Oklahoma-served with then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and participated in the famous air raid on Tokyo. -
1944
The Future Farmers of America Foundation is formed in Washington, D.C., to raise money for FFA programs and activities. -
1946
Attending the National FFA "Victory Convention" is 12,500. Those in attendance honor the 260,450 FFA members who served and paid the supreme sacrifice, losing their lives in the war. -
1947
The first National FFA Band performs at the National FFA Convention. -
1948
The first FFA chorus and National FFA Talent program is held at the National FFA Convention. -
1949
The first International Exchange Program for FFA members begins with the Young Farmers Club of Great Britain. -
1950
The 81st U.S. Congress passes a bill that grants a federal charter to Future Farmers of America. -
1952
The FFA Code of Ethics is adopted. -
1953
FFA memberships reach 363,369 members. -
1955
Photo of American Star Farmer Joe Moore is on the cover of Time magazine. -
1957
Former President Harry S. Truman speaks during the National FFA Convention. -
1958
The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis presents NFA with a Certificate of Appreciation. -
1959
First National FFA Center is dedicated in Alexandria, Va., on land that was once part of George Washinton's estate. -
1964
FFA sells its one-millionth FFA jacket. -
1965
NFA merges with FFA, increasing FFA membership by more than 50,000. -
1966
First FFA National Agricultural Career Show is held at the National FFA Convention to highlight educational and career opportunities in agriculture. -
1967
Elmer J. Johnson helps develop the FFA archives at the National FFA Center. -
1968
Presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon speaks at the National FFA Convention. Nixon is elected U.S. president the following month. -
1969
FFA finally opens memberships to females and making it possible for them to hold the office. -
1970
New York's Anita Decker and New Jersey's Patricia Krowicki become the first two female delegates to the national convention. -
1971
The National FFA Alumni Association is established. -
1973
National FFA Secretary Fred McClure from Texas is the first African-American elected to a national FFA office. -
1974
President Gerald Ford speaks at the National FFA Convention. -
1975
The first FFA Student Handbook is published -
1976
Alaska becomes the last of the 50 states to obtain a national charter. -
1978
President Jimmy Carter speaks at the 51st National FFA Convention again, this time as a U.S. president. -
1979
Christe Peterson from Wisconsin wins the first Extemporaneous Public Speaking Event. -
1980
The National FFA Foundation raises $1 million in one year for the first time. -
1982
Jan Elberly from California becomes the first female national FFA president. -
1983
The Ag Ed Network, the organization's computerized information service, launches. -
1984
The first FFA TV public service announcements air. -
1986
The first Agriscience Teacher of the Year Award is presented to Steven McKay from Boonville, Calif. -
1987
The first national television satellite broadcast of the National FFA Convention airs. -
1988
The Future Farmers of America changes its name to the National FFA Organization to reflect the growing diversity in agriculture. -
1989
The National Future Farmer magazine changes its name to FFA New Horizons. -
1990
The Partners in Active Learning Support (PALS) program launches. -
1991
FFA chapters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, along with five chapters in Micronesia, are chartered. -
1994
Corey Flournoy from Illinois is the first African-American to be elected national FFA president; he is also the first urban student leader. -
1996
H.O. Sargent Award is reinstated, promoting diversity among chapters. -
1997
The first Agri-Entrepreneurship Award is presented. -
1998
The National FFA Center in Indianapolis is dedicated on July 20. -
1999
The National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky, for the first time with 46,918min attendance. -
2000
The National FFA Archives at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPU) opens. -
2001
Steven Offer from Wisconsin is named the first American Star in Agriscience. -
2002
Official Dress standards are revised. -
2003
Javier Moreno from Puerto Rico is elected national president and became the first person with a native language other than English to be elected to office. -
2004
The first live webcast of the National FFA Convention premieres on FFA.org. -
2005
National FFA launches Seeds of Hope was a fundraiser campaign to rebuild Gulf Coast states' agricultural education and FFA programs following Hurricane Katrina; 835,699 in donations is distributed to affected programs. -
2006
The 79th National FFA Convention is held in Indianapolis for the first time, with 54,589 in attendance. -
2007
The FFA Merchandise Center opens in Indianapolis.
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2008
The FFA member networking site, FFA Nation (now defunct), launches. -
2009
FFA celebrates 40 years of women in the organization. -
2010
Dr. Larry Case retires after 26 years as the national FFA advisor. -
2011
The National FFA Alumni Association celebrates its 40th aniversery. -
2012
Patrick Gottsch donates $1 million on behalf of RFD-TV to the National FFA Organization, the single-largest unrestricted donation in the organization's history. -
2013
Sherene Donaldson is named the first female national FFA executive secretary. -
2014
FFA members earn a record 3,765 American FFA Degrees. -
2015
FFA announces the national convention and expo to move to Indianapolis from 2016-24 -
2016
National FFA Alumni membership jumps to 225,891 members, up from 62,705 in 2015. -
2017
Breanna Holbert from California is the first African-American female to be elected national FFA president. -
2018
Platinum sponsor John Deere commemorates 75 years of partnership with FFA. -
2019
FFA celebrates 50 years of female membership in the organization.