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A legacy of history, service, and innovation for the Commonwealth

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 10, 2025) – Kentucky State University is celebrating the 135th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act of 1890, landmark legislation that expanded America’s land-grant system and secured the place of 19 institutions—including Kentucky State—within a national network dedicated to advancing teaching, research, and service for the public good.

Kentucky State’s story began in 1886, when the Kentucky General Assembly chartered the State Normal School for Colored Persons. From its modest beginning with three teachers and 55 students in rented quarters, the school grew steadily. In 1890, just four years after its founding, it was designated a land-grant institution under the Second Morrill Act. That designation provided a foundation for what Kentucky State has become today: a comprehensive university with nationally recognized programs in agriculture, health, and natural resources, and the Commonwealth’s only public Historically Black College and University.

“From its earliest days, Kentucky State has embodied the land-grant mission of expanding opportunity and delivering knowledge that serves people where they live and work,” said Dr. Koffi Akakpo, president of Kentucky State University. “One hundred and thirty-five years later, we continue to honor that land-grant legacy while building new programs that strengthen Kentucky’s communities and economy.”

Across its history, Kentucky State has prepared generations of teachers, scientists, and community leaders while extending the benefits of research to families and farms across the Commonwealth. The land-grant tradition has always been practical and forward-looking, linking education with service. At Kentucky State, that tradition continues through cutting-edge programs that both honor the past and respond to the challenges of the present.

Today, Kentucky State has grown into a university organized around three distinct colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology; and the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. The College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources itself is home to three schools—Agriculture and Natural Resources, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, and Nursing and Health Sciences—offering a wide range of degree programs that reflect both the University’s heritage and its role in addressing Kentucky’s future.

The University is home to the world’s only full-time pawpaw research program and has served since 1994 as the USDA’s national germplasm repository for pawpaw. This expertise has generated innovative partnerships, such as the creation of Pawpaw Ale-8, which brought a native fruit into Kentucky’s consumer marketplace while adding value to the state’s economy.

Kentucky State is also raising the bar in bourbon science through its collaboration with Brough Brothers Distillery, which recently produced 1886 Select, five Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey varieties developed through research in wood stave finishing. This grant-supported project is complemented by the University’s new undergraduate certificate in fermentation and distillation sciences, where students gain direct experience in spirits chemistry, food fermentation, and applied research that equips them to succeed in one of Kentucky’s signature industries.

The impact reaches well beyond the classroom or lab. Kentucky State’s Cooperative Extension Program provides timely, research-based support to communities in every region of the state. Farmers are improving productivity and profitability through applied training, while youth and families benefit from programs in health, leadership, and resource development. Recent initiatives in drone technology, geospatial mapping, and water quality research demonstrate how the University applies innovation to solve pressing challenges in agriculture, environmental stewardship, and public health.

Most recently, Kentucky State’s reach across the Commonwealth and beyond has included:

• Delivering education programs to more than 30,000 Kentuckians each year through Cooperative Extension.

• Supporting more than 1,000 small-scale farmers with technical assistance that strengthens profitability and sustainability.

• Distributing more than $5 million through the Small-Scale Farm Grant Program, helping producers generate average revenue increases of $15,000 annually.

• Saving aquaculture producers more than $1.3 million through training and technical assistance.

• Training community-based professionals through rapid response initiatives that address agricultural and natural disaster challenges.

• Expanding opportunities for youth leadership and STEM learning through hands-on camps, workshops, and statewide 4-H activities.

“These results reflect the strength of our land-grant mission and the dedication of our faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of the Land Grant Program. “From pioneering research to practical support for families and farms, Kentucky State is making a measurable difference across the Commonwealth while preparing the next generation of leaders.”

Kentucky State also continues to respond to critical workforce needs. Its nursing and allied health programs prepare graduates to step directly into roles where care is urgently needed.

As well, new interdisciplinary Biological and Agricultural Engineering programs, developed in partnership with the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology, offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees that combine strengths across disciplines to address the state’s evolving economy. These efforts reflect the University’s vision of cultivating innovation to feed, heal, and sustain Kentucky.

The 135th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act is being recognized nationally on September 10, 2025, in Washington, D.C., where leaders from the 1890 land-grant universities will gather to honor this milestone and reflect on the enduring contributions of these institutions. Kentucky State is proud to stand among this group, honoring its history while charting a bold course forward.

“This anniversary calls us to look back with pride and forward with purpose,” Dr. Akakpo said. “Kentucky State University will continue to serve as a catalyst for innovation and opportunity, ensuring that our teaching, research, and outreach strengthen communities and the economy across the Commonwealth.”

For a video celebrating this legacy, click here.