Final answer:
The 2nd Morrill Act of 1890's purpose was to expand access to higher education for African Americans by creating separate land-grant institutions in segregated states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of the 2nd Morrill Act in 1890 was to expand access to higher education for African Americans. While the first Morrill Act established land-grant institutions that focused on agriculture and mechanical arts, the second act was aimed specifically at creating separate land-grant institutions for African Americans in states practicing segregation. This was part of a broader historical context in which various forms of federal assistance, including the land-grant system, were used to develop public infrastructure, including higher education aimed at building the nation's human capital.
Institutions such as Florida A&M University and Prairie View A&M University are examples of Black land-grant universities established as a result of the 1890 act. These schools have played a crucial role in providing educational opportunities to a segment of the population that had been historically marginalized and denied access to formal education.