In this first-person narrative, Andrew Waaswa, Extension agricultural educator, shares his journey from North Carolina to w88 bet, where he discovers how Extension builds on Thomas Monroe Campbell’s legacy—the nation’s first Black Extension agent—by supporting Black urban farmers and working to improve food security in underserved regions.
Back in North Carolina, before moving to w88 bet, I encountered Black farmers everywhere. During my time working with the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission Agricultural Leadership Development Program at North Carolina State University, I had the opportunity to interact with many of them. They grew crops like corn, sweet potatoes and tobacco, and raised livestock. But when I arrived in w88 bet, I wondered, “Where are the Black farmers, and how do they grow anything in the desert?”
Surprisingly, there actually are Black farmers here, and they are making it work in ways I never imagined. Some operate urban farms in Clark and Washoe counties, selling produce at farmers markets, supplying local restaurants and donating to food banks to support families in need. Several of these farmers are currently supported by Extension through various initiatives, including theExtension’s w88 casino Indoor. This project provides education on pest and disease management, grant applications and how to operate hydroponic farms – typically indoors and without soil – to cultivate commercial vegetables and herbs.
Just last year, Extension’sHealthy Food Systems Program, in partnership with Zion United Methodist Church, a North Las Vegas community leader in sustainable agriculture, and Energy Tree, a w88 bet sustainable technologies consulting firm, both led by Black agriculturists, launched the Southern w88 bet Urban Agricultural Assistance Program. Together they secured nearly 0,000 to help urban farmers achieve economic success.
I cannot help imagining how proud Thomas Monroe Campbell, the nation’s first African American agricultural Extension agent, would be if he were alive today. His pioneering work laid the foundation for empowering Black farmers, and Extension’s efforts in supporting urban farmers, particularly those in underserved communities. Our current work reflects his vision of creating agricultural equity, creating sustainable opportunities for all farming communities.
Who was Thomas Monroe Campbell?
Campbell was a trailblazer in agricultural and Extension education who dedicated five decades to serving African American farmers in the South.
After graduating from Tuskegee Institute in 1906, he was hired by a U.S. Department of Agriculture special agent to assist in outreach efforts to support Black farmers in the South.
In 1914, following the signing of the Smith-Lever Act by President Woodrow Wilson, Campbell became the first Extension agent hired into the Cooperative Extension System. He traveled to rural farms, teaching Black farmers modern techniques in plowing, soil enrichment, poultry farming, home economics, food preservation and rural health. Through Tuskegee's Movable School of Agriculture, Campbell reached thousands of farmers each month, improving agricultural practices in the South.
Expanding agricultural Extension services amidst adversity
Amidst Jim Crow-era segregation, Campbell created economic opportunities for Black farmers. During World War I, he organized the "Uncle Sam's Saturday Service League," encouraging farmers to put in extra hours to boost food production.
By 1919, Campbell was promoted to field agent where he supervised around 459 Black agricultural Extension programs across seven states. During the Great Depression, Campbell used New Deal policies to support struggling farmers, advocating for better access to credit, education and land ownership.
In the 1930s, he launched the Tuskegee Institute's Radio Program, which was the first radio program specifically aimed at educating Black farmers. The program provided agricultural and home economics education to African American communities, furthering his efforts to improve farming practices and living conditions in rural areas.
Global influence on rural development
In 1944, Campbell took his expertise beyond the United States, heading to West Africa to study agricultural practices and share his knowledge. His work there had a lasting impact on global agricultural education, emphasizing the importance of hands-on, localized teaching. Along the way, he earned several prestigious honors, including the first-ever Harmon Award for distinguished service in farming, an honorary Master of Science degree from Tuskegee in 1936 and the Superior Service Award from the U.S Department of Agriculture in 1947. By the time Campbell retired in 1953, he had helped pave the way for more than 850 African American Extension professionals, a legacy that continues to shape the field today.
A lasting influence on Extension services today
Campbell played a key role in shaping the Cooperative Extension System, which was formalized by the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. His work to bring science-based agricultural solutions to underserved farmers laid the foundation for the Extension services we see today. In 2002, Campbell was posthumously inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame, and his legacy continues to influence the mission of Extension offices. Today, these offices use workshops, technology and outreach to tackle modern challenges, much like Campbell did during his lifetime.
Campbell’s work continues to resonate in the efforts of w88 bet, Reno Extension. Like Campbell, Extension is dedicated to supporting diverse farmers, including Black farmers in w88 bet by providing the resources and training necessary to strengthen sustainable food systems.
