Timeline Stories

A charter is granted to the Puerto Rico FFA Association.

Prior to full membership, women were selected as “Chapter Sweethearts.” Here are Texas FFA sweetheart Martha Banks and Texas FFA president David Risinger in 1954.

The National FFA Radio Program on NBC is launched.

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.

FFA sells its one-millionth FFA jacket.

Due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which mandated the end of segregation, NFA merges with FFA, resulting in the end of NFA after 30 years of providing agricultural leadership development for rural Black male youth.

First FFA National Agricultural Career Show (now called expo) is held at the National FFA Convention to highlight educational and career opportunities in agriculture.

Elmer J. Johnson helps develop the FFA archives at the National FFA Center.

Presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon speaks at the National FFA Convention. Nixon is elected U.S. president the following month.

FFA opens membership to females, making it possible for them to hold office and participate in competitive events at regional and national levels. Ken Dunagan from Arizona is named the first American Star in Agribusiness. The Washington Conference (now Washington Leadership Conference — WLC) begins. The delegate body of the National FFA Convention establishes alumni class of membership as part of the constitution.

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.

Former President Harry S. Truman spoke during the national convention.