February is Black History Month. In honor of this, I would like to introduce you to Thomas Monroe Campbell, Americaโs first Black Extension agent.
Campbell attended Tuskegee Institute during the presidency of Booker T. Washington. At the time, my personal hero George Washington Carver was serving as the instituteโs leading science professor. Washington and Carver advocated for Campbell to become the first Black Extension agent, who would then help educate poor Black farmers in Alabama by demonstrating new farming techniques and better land-management practices.
Campbellโs primary assignment was managing the Jesup Agricultural Wagon, which became known as the Tuskegee Movable School. This innovative vehicle was Campbellโs way of facilitating the growth and development of Extension work throughout rural communities. The wagon was equipped with fertilizers, seeds, and tools needed to conduct hands-on demonstrations with farmers and homemakers.
In 1919, Campbell was promoted by the USDA to field agent. In this role, he supervised other Black Extension agents throughout the Deep South, including Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He also worked abroad in West Africa. Campbell, along with other Black agents, helped improve the lives of rural Black farmers throughout the South.
Campbell also hosted a radio program for Black farmers, where he shared Extension news and practical farming information. He was intent upon growing the number of Black agents within the Extension Service. Upon his retirement in 1953, after 47 years of service, the number of Black Extension agents had grown from one to more than 850.
I am proud to continue the legacy of Thomas M. Campbell as a Black Extension agent. When I deliver horticulture programs for the general public throughout the Mid-South, I often think about Mr. Campbell and his contributions to Extension. He was a trailblazer and pioneer whose legacy reflects innovation, education, and community outreach. Thank you, Mr. Campbell!
Thomas Monroe Campbell (1906): Image courtesy ofย Auburn University / Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES)
Jesup Wagon Demonstration (c. early 1900s): Image courtesy ofย North Carolina State University Extension
