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The Smith Hughes National Vocational Education Act establishes vocational agriculture courses.
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Virginia tech agriculture education teacher educators Henry C Groseclose, Harry W Sanders, Walter S Newman organize the Future Farmers of Virginia for boy's classes.
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the first national congress vocational ag students assemble for a national livestock judging contest at American royal livestock and horseshow 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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Official FFA Creed, written by E.M. Tiffany, is adopted. Edward Drace from Missouri wins the first National Public Speaking event.
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future Farmers of America is established in Kansas City, Mo.
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National blue and corn gold are adopted as official FFA colors first National Chapter Contest is launched and sponsored by Farm Journal magazine.
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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 an Official Dress.
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NFA is founded as a national organization at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. David Simmons of Alabama is elected as the first national NFA president. Active FFA membership exceeds 100,000 members.
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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’s estate.
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FFA members join in the war effort. Three former FFA members—Robert Gray from Texas, Travis Hoover from California, and Melvin Jordan from Oklahoma—serve with then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and participate 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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Attendance at the National FFA “Victory Convention” is 12,500. Those in attendance honor the 260,450 FFA members who served and the 7,188 who 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 Rhode Island FFA Association, with five chapters and 82 members, is chartered—FFA is in all 48 states, plus then Territory of Hawaii and Puerto Rico
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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 FFA Code of Ethics is adopted.
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The U.S. Post Office Department issues a special 3-cent postage stamp—the cost of mailing a first-class letter then—to celebrate the 25th anniversary of FFA. The first stamps are released in Kansas City, Mo., during the National FFA Convention.
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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 Washington’s estate. An FFA camp had been located here earlier. FFA holds its first National Leadership Training Conference for state officers in Washington, D.C.
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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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The first FFA National Agricultural Career Show (now called expo) 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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FFA opens membership to females, making it possible for them to hold office and participate in competitive events at regional and national levels.
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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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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. The Building Our American Communities (BOAC) program begins.
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FFA Official Dress standards are created.
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President Gerald Ford speaks at the National FFA Convention. The speech is carried live on network television.
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Food for America program launches.
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Julie Smiley from Washington is elected national FFA vice president and is the first female to hold a national FFA office.
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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 Eberly 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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National convention delegates vote to raise the number of official voting delegates to 475 based on proportional representation.
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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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FFA announces its decision to move the National FFA Center from Alexandria, Va., to Indianapolis.
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The first Agri-Entrepreneurship Award is presented.
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The Agricultural Education National Headquarters is dedicated in Alexandria, V
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The National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky., for the first time with 46,918 in attendance.
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The National FFA Archives at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) opens.
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Steven Offer from Wisconsin is named the first American Star in Agriscience.
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The 75th National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky. To celebrate this special event, the time capsule from the 50th National FFA Convention is opened. Special guest Muhammad Ali is recognized at Reflections to honor the growing diversity of the National FFA Organization.
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Javier Moreno from Puerto Rico is elected national president; he becomes the first person with a native language other than English and the first Puerto Rican elected to this 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, a fundraising 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 National FFA Foundation announces its first $1 million contributions from the Ford Motor Company.
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FFA membership exceeds the half-million mark with 500,823 members in 7,358 chapters.
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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 national FFA advisor.
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The National FFA Alumni Association celebrates its 40th anniversary.
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National FFA Foundation receives a record of more than $16.2 million in support of FFA.
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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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First Lady Michelle Obama gives video greetings to attendees at the national convention and expo.
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National FFA Alumni membership jumps to 225,891 members, up from 62,705 in 2015.
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Convention delegate's recommendations to alter Official Dress and the opening ceremony get approval from the National FFA Board of Directors.
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The board of directors votes to rename the National FFA Alumni Association to National FFA Alumni and Supporters and change its bylaws to operational policies. The National FFA Alumni Council becomes the National FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee.
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FFA celebrates 50 years of female membership in the organization.
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Student membership hits an all-time high with 760,113 members in 8,739 chapters.
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FFA celebrates 50 years of alumni membership.