Final answer:
The New Farmers of America (NFA) H.O. Sargent Award was originally given to outstanding African American agricultural students, named after H.O. Sargent, an advocate for their education.
Step-by-step explanation:
The New Farmers of America (NFA) H.O. Sargent Award was originally awarded to outstanding African American agricultural students. The award was named after H.O. Sargent, a federal agent for agricultural education who advocated for the inclusion of African Americans in vocational agriculture. The NFA was an organization established for African American agricultural students during the time of segregated schooling.
The significance of the New Farmers of America parallels that of the Grangers, also known as the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, which is a social organization that promoted the interests of farmers in the United States. Although the Grangers were active earlier, with promotional posters offering gifts dating back to 1873, the focus on the NFA in the mid-20th century continued to advocate for the needs and education of farmers, albeit for a different racial demographic during segregation.