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The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act, (both Senator Hoke Smith and Representative Dudley Hughes were from Georgia) establishes vocational agriculture courses.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. -
National blue and corn gold are adopted as official FFA colors.
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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. -
The National FFA Radio Program on NBC is launched.
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A charter is granted to the Puerto Rico FFA Association.
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Blue corduroy jacket is adopted as Official Dress.
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NFA is founded as a national organization at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
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During the National FFA Convention, action is taken to establish a national FFA camp and leadership training school in Washington D.C.
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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.
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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.
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The Future Farmers of America Foundation is formed in Washington, D.C., to raise money for FFA programs and activities.
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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.
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The first National FFA Band performs at the National FFA Convention.
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The first FFA chorus and National FFA Talent program is held at the National FFA Convention.
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The first International Exchange Program for FFA members begins with the Young Farmers Club of Great Britain.
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The 81st U.S. Congress passes a bill that grants a federal charter to Future Farmers of America.
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The FFA Code of Ethics is adopted.
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FFA memberships reach 363,369 members.
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Photo of American Star Farmer Joe Moore is on the cover of Time magazine.
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Former President Harry S. Truman speaks during the National FFA Convention.
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The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis presents NFA with a Certificate of Appreciation.
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First National FFA Center is dedicated in Alexandria, Va., on land that was once part of George Washinton's estate.
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FFA sells its one-millionth FFA jacket.
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NFA merges with FFA, increasing FFA membership by more than 50,000.
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First FFA National Agricultural Career Show is held at the National FFA Convention to highlight educational and career opportunities in agriculture.
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Elmer J. Johnson helps develop the FFA archives at the National FFA Center.
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Presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon speaks at the National FFA Convention. Nixon is elected U.S. president the following month.
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FFA finally opens memberships to females and making it possible for them to hold the office.
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New York's Anita Decker and New Jersey's Patricia Krowicki become the first two female delegates to the national convention.
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The National FFA Alumni Association is established.
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National FFA Secretary Fred McClure from Texas is the first African-American elected to a national FFA office.
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President Gerald Ford speaks at the National FFA Convention.
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The first FFA Student Handbook is published
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Alaska becomes the last of the 50 states to obtain a national charter.
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President Jimmy Carter speaks at the 51st National FFA Convention again, this time as a U.S. president.
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Christe Peterson from Wisconsin wins the first Extemporaneous Public Speaking Event.
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The National FFA Foundation raises $1 million in one year for the first time.
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Jan Elberly from California becomes the first female national FFA president.
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The Ag Ed Network, the organization's computerized information service, launches.
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The first FFA TV public service announcements air.
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The first Agriscience Teacher of the Year Award is presented to Steven McKay from Boonville, Calif.
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The first national television satellite broadcast of the National FFA Convention airs.
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The Future Farmers of America changes its name to the National FFA Organization to reflect the growing diversity in agriculture.
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The National Future Farmer magazine changes its name to FFA New Horizons.
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The Partners in Active Learning Support (PALS) program launches.
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FFA chapters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, along with five chapters in Micronesia, are chartered.
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Corey Flournoy from Illinois is the first African-American to be elected national FFA president; he is also the first urban student leader.
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H.O. Sargent Award is reinstated, promoting diversity among chapters.
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The first Agri-Entrepreneurship Award is presented.
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The National FFA Center in Indianapolis is dedicated on July 20.
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The National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky, for the first time with 46,918min attendance.
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The National FFA Archives at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPU) opens.
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Steven Offer from Wisconsin is named the first American Star in Agriscience.
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Official Dress standards are revised.
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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.
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The first live webcast of the National FFA Convention premieres on FFA.org.
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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.
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The 79th National FFA Convention is held in Indianapolis for the first time, with 54,589 in attendance.
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The FFA Merchandise Center opens in Indianapolis.
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The FFA member networking site, FFA Nation (now defunct), launches.
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FFA celebrates 40 years of women in the organization.
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Dr. Larry Case retires after 26 years as the national FFA advisor.
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The National FFA Alumni Association celebrates its 40th aniversery.
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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.
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Sherene Donaldson is named the first female national FFA executive secretary.
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FFA members earn a record 3,765 American FFA Degrees.
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FFA announces the national convention and expo to move to Indianapolis from 2016-24
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National FFA Alumni membership jumps to 225,891 members, up from 62,705 in 2015.
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Breanna Holbert from California is the first African-American female to be elected national FFA president.
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Platinum sponsor John Deere commemorates 75 years of partnership with FFA.
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FFA celebrates 50 years of female membership in the organization.