Today in Pa. History: Lincoln University chartered
(WHTM) On April 29th, 1854, Lincoln University, located near Oxford, Pennsylvania, received its charter as “an institution of learning for the scientific, classical and theological education of colored youth of the male sex”, becoming the first degree-granting Black college in the country.
The university was the brainchild of Presbyterian minister John Miller Dickey and his wife Sarah Emlen Cresson, both of whom were active in the anti-slavery movement.
Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here
Originally named Ashmun Institute, it was renamed Lincoln University in honor of Abraham Lincoln in 1866. In its first hundred years, it graduated about 20% of the African American physicians in the country and more than 10% of its African American attorneys.
A humble grandeur-restoring Gettysburg’s Warfield House
In 1953, the university celebrated its 100th anniversary by amending its charter to allow granting of degrees to women.
In 1972, Lincoln University formally associated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a state-related co-educational institution.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
