East Tennessee Farmers’ Convention Programs and Minutes
This collection houses minutes and programs documenting the yearly meetings of the East Tennessee Farmers' Convention held at the University of Tennessee. Files for many of the earlier years contain full transcriptions of lectures and question-and-answer sessions; for the later years (after 1950), only the program of events survives. This collection also houses two scrapbooks of newspaper articles about the annual convention, a small set of black-and-white photographs of attendees in various years, and programs of the meetings of the Negro Farmers’ Institute from 1937 through 1964.
Dates
- 1872-1996
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
6 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection houses minutes and programs documenting the yearly meetings of the East Tennessee Farmers' Convention held at the University of Tennessee. Files for many of the earlier years contain full transcriptions of lectures and question-and-answer sessions; for the later years (after 1950), only the program of events survives. This collection also houses two scrapbooks of newspaper articles about the annual convention, a small set of black-and-white photographs of attendees in various years, and programs of the meetings of the Negro Farmers’ Institute from 1937 through 1964.
Biographical/Historical Note
The East Tennessee Farmers’ Convention was first organized by Oliver Perry Temple, economic promoter and University of Tennessee trustee. At the first meeting, the delegates in attendance resolved to make the meeting an annual event. The Convention met each year in May at the University of Tennessee’s agricultural campus (often in Temple Hall) to discuss current findings in soil quality, livestock and livestock judging, vegetables and disease, the process of farming, insurance, and many other topics useful to farmers. The Convention also often had new machines and technologies on display and allowed delegates to take field trips to perform tests on different kinds of crops. During the years of World War II, much of the Convention’s focus was on helping the war effort. Harcourt A. Morgan, Dean of the College and later President of the University from 1919 to 1933, served as Secretary for the Convention from 1905 to 1926.
Arrangement
The collection consists of five boxes divided into three series:
Missing Title
- Series I: East Tennessee Farmers' Convention, 1872-1966
- Series II: Negro Farmers’ Institute, 1937-1964
- Series III: Oversized Materials, 1895-1938, undated
Acquisition Note
Collection was transferred to University Archives.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository