School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences holds seminar on History of African-American Farmers in the Mississippi Delta
“A Systematic Look at the History of African-American Farmers in the Mississippi Delta from the Middle Passage to Obama,” was the theme of the seminar hosted by the Alcorn State University School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences Feb. 24, 2015.
Donald W. Miller, history instructor at Alcorn and former civil rights activist, was the presenter for the event held as a second installment of the seminar series. The presentation tied African-American history to modern agriculture and educated students, staff and faculty members about African-American agriculturalists and their impact on the industry today.
During his presentation, Miller stressed that agriculture is the basis of our community and that historically, African-Americans have always understood its importance. He also gave a brief history lesson on the evolution of the cotton industry and Mississippi’s rich history as the leading producer of cotton in the nation.
According to Miller, underserved populations face problems when it comes to good nutrition and healthy food.
“A scientific and humanistic approach should be applied to the development of a solution for the issues facing underserved communities.”
Agriculture has always played an integral part in our society and will continue to have a large role in the lives of future generations. Miller believes that properly educating African-American students at historically black colleges and universities will create the blueprint for their future.
“I want students to know that the brain is a powerful resource in education and intelligence can go a long way.”
For information on upcoming seminars, contact Dr. Victor Njiti, the School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences seminar series chair, at [email protected] or 601.877.2446.
