Which U.S. president signed the National School Lunch Act into law in 1946?

Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act into law in 1946.

The U.S. federal law created the National School Lunch Program, providing subsidies to schools so they could serve low-cost or free meals to eligible students. Truman signed the act on June 4, 1946, bringing the federal government into a more direct role in school nutrition.

The legislation had two connected purposes. It aimed to improve children’s access to meals while also helping absorb agricultural surpluses by purchasing and distributing farm commodities. Before the act, school-lunch support was mainly local or state-based and varied considerably between communities.

The law has been amended repeatedly to address changing standards for nutrition, food safety, prices, and eligibility. In 1999, Congress renamed the act to honor Senator Richard Russell Jr. The National School Lunch Program continues to operate through participating schools across the United States.