Lincoln University: Pioneering Education for African Americans

On April 29, 1854, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania made history as the nation’s first degree-granting institution of higher education for African Americans. Originally founded as the Ashmun Institute by Reverend John Miller Dickey, the university was established to provide African American men with an opportunity for higher education, at a time when most white institutions refused to admit them. Renamed in honor of President Abraham Lincoln in 1866, the university has remained a cornerstone in the African American educational journey, earning the nickname “the Black Princeton” for its high academic standards and classical curriculum.

Dickey's vision was to provide a rigorous education that prepared African American men for leadership roles in society, specifically in ministry and mission work. Although his initial aim was to train missionaries to spread Christianity in Africa, the university adapted its mission following the Civil War and Emancipation. It shifted focus to providing education for students to succeed as professionals in the United States, not just as missionaries. As Lincoln University evolved, it became an essential institution that gave African Americans the tools to break barriers in fields such as law, science, and the arts.

Throughout its history, Lincoln University has produced a distinguished list of alumni, including Thurgood Marshall, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court justice, and Langston Hughes, the renowned Harlem Renaissance poet and activist. The university has played an integral role in shaping the African American intellectual tradition, and it continues to encourage its students to be leaders in their own right. Today, with a diverse student body and a commitment to academic excellence, Lincoln University remains a pillar of higher education for African American students.

Now, more than 160 years after its founding, Lincoln University continues to honor its legacy by offering a close-knit community that fosters both personal and academic growth. The university’s motto, "Freedom," serves as a guiding principle, emphasizing the freedom to succeed and make a lasting impact on the world. As the first institution of its kind, Lincoln University’s legacy of pioneering higher education for African Americans remains as vital today as it did when it first opened its doors.