Nels Ackerson: National FFA President 1963–64
Indiana · No. 37 of 100 · National FFA President 1963–64
At a Glance
- Office: National FFA President, 1963–64 (No. 37 of 100)
- Born: April 12, 1944, in Eagletown, Indiana
- Died: March 18, 2025, at age 80
- Education: B.S. in agricultural economics, Purdue University (1967); law and public policy study, including Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
- Career: Founder and chairman of The Ackerson Group, a Washington, D.C., law firm
- Recognition: Purdue Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award, 2002
Nels Ackerson was a sophomore at Purdue University when he was elected National FFA President, a full-time job that required a one-year break from his studies. He then built a career as an international lawyer in Washington, D.C., and in 1982 opened what is described as the first American law firm office in Egypt. He died in 2025.
Early Life
Ackerson was born April 12, 1944, in Eagletown, Indiana. His obituary describes him as the son of a farmer and a teacher and the grandson of Swedish immigrants. At Purdue he joined FarmHouse Fraternity, later serving on its international board of directors, and was Indiana State FFA president during his freshman year.
The National Presidency, 1963–64
Ackerson was elected National FFA President as a Purdue sophomore. His term fell in the final years before the New Farmers of America (NFA), the parallel organization for Black students in agricultural education, merged with FFA in 1965. His obituary and biographical record credit him with presiding over the desegregation of the FFA and NFA. FFA’s own timeline dates the formal merger to 1965, a year after his term as president ended.
He is one of three Hoosiers who had been elected National FFA President as of the Indiana FFA Association’s 1979 history, with Irvin Schenk (1941–42) and Ervin Martin (1947–48) as the other two.
Education
He completed a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics at Purdue in 1967. His obituary notes that he went on to study at the Kennedy School of Government as part of the inaugural class of its joint degree program, and a law-school classmate recalled him in a condolence note.
Law Career
Ackerson led the Washington firm that carried his name, The Ackerson Group, and was described in his obituary as an advocate for property rights. In 1982 he established the first American law firm office in Egypt, partnering with the Egyptian lawyer and former diplomat Gamal Naguib to form Sidley & Austin & Naguib. A Purdue alumni profile titled “A Man for Many Cultures” describes the time he spent in Egypt and the friendships and colleagues he reunited with on later visits. Martindale-Hubbell gave him its highest AV Premier rating for legal ability and ethics.
Recognition
Purdue University honored Ackerson with its Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award in 2002.
Why His Story Matters
Ackerson’s career is the clearest example from the 1960s of the way FFA presidents moved into law and public policy. The skills of a national officer—presiding, negotiating among delegations from many states, and speaking for a large membership—were direct preparation for work as an international lawyer.
Next: Kenneth Kennedy, 1964–65 →
Sources
- The Washington Post (Legacy.com): Nels Ackerson obituary, March 23, 2025
- Purdue University Agricultural Economics: Distinguished Alumni profile, “A Man for Many Cultures” (original link no longer resolves; checked Nov. 2026)
- Purdue College of Agriculture: Distinguished Agriculture Alumni
- History of the Indiana Future Farmers of America Association, August 1979
- National FFA Organization: FFA history timeline
- Wikipedia: Nels Ackerson (pointer)