Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Blasts USDA for Suspending 1890 Scholars Program

Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson is speaking out against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) abrupt suspension of the 1890 Scholars Program, a key initiative that has supported Black students in agricultural fields for decades. The move, quietly announced on the USDA’s website, follows a series of executive actions aimed at rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government.

Jackson, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, said  “Suspending the 1890 Scholars Program is nothing short of an attack on opportunity,” he said in a statement. “This program isn’t just about scholarships—it’s about ensuring that Black students have a clear pathway to careers in agriculture, food safety, and environmental science. Pulling the plug on these students is not just cruel; it’s calculated and unacceptable.”

The 1890 Scholars Program was created to provide financial support and career opportunities for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) designated as 1890 Land-Grant Institutions. These universities, established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, were designed to counteract the racial exclusion of Black students from the original land-grant university system.

For years, the program has played a crucial role in fostering diversity in agriculture, a field where Black professionals remain underrepresented. Currently, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions educate over 20% of Black students pursuing agricultural degrees, making the scholarship’s suspension a devastating setback.

Jackson is making it clear that this decision cannot stand. “This isn’t just about funding; it’s about fairness,” he emphasized. “The 1890 Scholars Program was created in response to the USDA’s own history of racial discrimination. Cutting it now sends a dangerous message that equity and opportunity no longer matter.”

The congressman is calling for an immediate reversal of the USDA’s decision. “I won’t stand by while this administration tries to erase decades of hard-fought progress,” Jackson stated. “The USDA must restore the 1890 Scholars Program now—because every student deserves the chance to succeed, and America’s future depends on it.”