Reflections on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the 1890 Scholars Program
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s aura in my childhood home was so pervasive that you would have thought he was a member of our family. My mother, who’d been born on our family farm in Mississippi and later raised in Chicago, came to age at the height of the 1960 Civil Rights movement and understood the period in a way that history books never fully explain.
She felt a personal loss for Dr. King, and a decade after he was taken, my siblings and I still awakened every Saturday morning to one of his taped sermons playing. I didn’t appreciate it then, but I now fully recognize how much we’d internalized his message. For me, Dr. King was first and foremost a great humanitarian and leader, but also a champion of social uplift and economic opportunity.
That’s why I believe that Dr. King would be extremely proud of the work we do here at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Not only do we manage programs that provide economic support, lasting food security, and relief from natural disasters to rural and underserved communities, but also programs that are proactive, not reactive. We serve in every county in the country, helping farmers, ranchers, foresters, transitioning veterans, students and many other communities get access to the resources they need to succeed. We truly work to serve all Americans, especially those that are too often overlooked.
In my capacity at USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, I’m fortunate to work closely with institutions of higher learning, and one of our capacity building programs is currently open for application. The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 19 land grant institutions established by the Second Morrill Act of 1890. The focus of this partnership is to increase the number of students from rural and underserved communities who have the academic preparation required for positions critical to USDA.
Selected scholars receive tuition and fee support as they pursue degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines at one of the partner 1890 land grant institutions. Applications are being accepted through March 1, 2025. Learn more at the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program website. If you know of a talented student whose goals align with the mission of USDA, please ask them to consider applying.
Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day! I encourage you to remember, celebrate and act.
