Highlighting New Farmers of Virginia, a historical Black agriculturalist organization
New Farmers of Virginia (NFV) was founded in 1927 to provide a racially segregated counterpart to the agricultural vocational training programs available to young white farmers through Future Farmers of Virginia. As the latter organization expanded nationally and became Future Farmers of America (FFA), so too did NFV inspire the national organization New Farmers of America (NFA). Though a post-desegregation merger between the FFA and NFA ostensibly increased opportunities for NFA members, the new organization kept Future Farmers of America’s name and most of its white leadership intact. In turn, much of the NFA’s traditions, awards, and identity were either lost completely or subsumed into the broader history of FFA. This presentation documents our efforts to highlight New Farmers of Virginia’s impact on agriculture in Virginia and beyond through a research guide that integrates Virginia Tech’s materials on NFV’s history, creating a virtual special collection. By foregrounding the NFV and connecting its work to the subsequent national organizations, scholars and community members will have the opportunity to understand the group’s distinct historical significance. The resource also seeks to contextualize the systemic historical marginalization of Black farmers, with an eye towards helping modern practitioners support the needs of non-white farmers and extension members.