Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
John Miller Dickey stood in Hinsonville, Pennsylvania, during the winter of 1854. He was a Presbyterian minister who wanted to build something new for African Americans. His wife Sarah Emlen Cresson joined him as a Quaker supporter. They named their school Ashmun Institute after Jehudi Ashmun. This religious leader and social reformer had worked to improve conditions for Black people before his death. The founders opened the doors to students who had few other options for higher education. James Ralston Amos became one of the first graduates. He later encouraged others to support Liberia as a colony for African Americans. Thomas Henry Amos and Armistead Hutchinson Miller also followed this path into ordained ministry. The institution grew slowly through the Civil War era. It remained private until the mid-20th century when it began its transformation.
Horace Mann Bond took office as president in 1945. He was an alumnus returning home to lead the university. Albert Einstein visited the campus in 1946 to lecture on physics and racism. This rare appearance occurred despite prevailing racial dynamics of that time. Bond served twelve years before stepping down. Robert R. Jennings resigned from the presidency in November 2014 under pressure from faculty and students. Comments about sexual assault issues led to no-confidence votes by both groups. Brenda A. Allen became the new president in 2017. She graduated from Lincoln University in 1981. MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to the university in 2020. That gift represented the second largest single donation in the school's history. Another $25 million arrived in December 2025, making it the largest single gift ever received. A tragic shooting during homecoming weekend on the 25th of October 2025 killed one person and injured six others.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Lincoln University number 19 among HBCUs in 2020. The same publication rated the institution 119th among Regional Universities North that year. Approximately 2,000 students receive undergraduate and graduate coursework at the school. Women have received degrees since 1953 when the charter was amended. They made up 66% of undergraduate enrollment in 2019. The Lincoln-Barnes Visual Arts program offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. A Pan-Africana Studies major has been added to available undergraduate options. The university maintains membership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Over 60 student organizations serve multiple interests including fashion, arts, social justice, religious groups, international affairs, cultural activities, service projects, leisure pursuits, media outlets, and publishing ventures. Numerous fraternities and sororities operate alongside these academic programs.
Brown Memorial Chapel stands as a four-story structure on the main campus. It contains over one million gross square feet across fifty-six buildings. The campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. Alumni Hall was built in 1870 while Amos Hall followed in 1902. New coed apartment-style living suites opened in 2005 with capacity for 400 beds. Thorn Flats provides additional off-campus housing in Newark, Delaware. The Ivory V. Nelson Science Center and General Classroom High Technology Building completed construction in 2008. The International Cultural Center finished its work in 2010. The Health and Wellness Center opened its doors in 2012. An Alumni Memorial Arch marks the entrance to the university. President Warren G. Harding dedicated this arch in 1921 to honor Lincoln men who served in World War I. The Langston Hughes Memorial Library holds over 185,000 volumes plus databases containing more than 30,000 journal titles. A completely renovated Student Union Building houses a bookstore, café, two television studios, a radio studio, postal services, and multipurpose rooms.
Thurgood Marshall graduated from Lincoln University in 1930. He became the first African American appointed as justice to the US Supreme Court. James Mercer Langston Hughes received his degree in 1929 before bequeathing his personal library to the university upon death in 1967. Christian Fleetwood earned a Medal of Honor while serving as a pioneering African-American editor. Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first president of Nigeria. Kwame Nkrumah led Ghana as its first president. Gil Scott-Heron worked as both song artist and activist. Roscoe Lee Browne won an Emmy Award and received Tony Award nominations. Wes Moore serves as Governor of Maryland. Pauli Murray practiced law, wrote books, and served as Episcopal priest. Sadie T.M. Alexander worked as lawyer, educator, and writer. Angelina Weld Grimké was poet and playwright. Malcolm-Jamal Warner acted on screen while Leslie Uggams and Wendy Williams appeared in film and television. Six colleges were founded by alumni including South Carolina State University and Livingstone College. Two alumni received commemorative stamps from the United States Postal Service: Thurgood Marshall and Langston Hughes.
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Common questions
When was Lincoln University Pennsylvania founded and by whom?
John Miller Dickey and his wife Sarah Emlen Cresson opened the school named Ashmun Institute in Hinsonville, Pennsylvania during the winter of 1854. The founders established the institution to provide higher education options for African Americans who had few other choices at that time.
Who is the current president of Lincoln University Pennsylvania as of 2025?
Brenda A. Allen became the new president of Lincoln University in 2017 after Robert R. Jennings resigned from the presidency in November 2014. She graduated from Lincoln University in 1981 before assuming her leadership role.
What major donations has Lincoln University received recently?
MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to the university in 2020 which represented the second largest single donation in the school's history. Another $25 million arrived in December 2025 making it the largest single gift ever received by the institution.
Which notable alumni attended Lincoln University Pennsylvania?
Thurgood Marshall graduated from Lincoln University in 1930 and later became the first African American appointed as justice to the US Supreme Court. James Mercer Langston Hughes received his degree in 1929 and bequeathed his personal library to the university upon death in 1967.
When did women begin receiving degrees from Lincoln University Pennsylvania?
Women have received degrees since 1953 when the charter was amended to allow their enrollment. They made up 66% of undergraduate enrollment in 2019 at the historically black university located in Lower Oxford Township, Pennsylvania.