This act was aimed at the former Confederate states. It required each state to show that race was not an admissions criterion, or else designate a separate land-grant institution for people of color. This ultimately led to the creation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This act is significant, because unlike its predecessor, the second act provided an institutional means for education to become more accessible to blacks.
“The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890,” 1890 Universities, http://www.1890universities.org/history
Race and Racism in American Culture 