Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)

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Lincoln University is a public, state-related historically Black university in Lower Oxford Township, Pennsylvania, with a second campus in University City, Philadelphia. It was founded in 1854 as the Ashmun Institute by John Miller Dickey and Sarah Emlen Cresson and renamed Lincoln University in 1866. It is known as the first college that granted degrees to African Americans.

Campus and size
The main campus covers about 422 acres and includes 56 buildings. There are 15 residence halls for students. The university also operates a location in Philadelphia. About 1,770 students attend Lincoln University (Fall 2024), including roughly 1,545 undergraduates and 125 graduates. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (since 2022).

Academics and student life
Lincoln offers undergraduate and graduate programs and is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The school serves mostly African American students but welcomes people from many backgrounds. The university supports many student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, and competes in NCAA Division II sports.

History highlights
Over the years Lincoln has hosted several notable events and figures. Presidents and leaders have spoken on campus, including William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding. Horace Mann Bond, an alumnus, became the university’s first African American president in 1945. In 1953 the school amended its charter to allow the admission of women. Lincoln became a state-related public university in 1972. In recent years, the campus has received major donations and faced important events, including a shooting during homecoming in 2025.

Campus landmarks and facilities
Key campus landmarks include the Alumni Memorial Arch, dedicated in 1921 to Lincoln’s World War I veterans. The Langston Hughes Memorial Library (opened in 1972) houses a large collection of books and digital resources. The Ivory V. Nelson Science Center (2008), the International Cultural Center (2010), and the Health and Wellness Center (2012) are important facilities on campus.

Athletics and affiliations
Lincoln competes in NCAA Division II as part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern College Athletic Conference. The school’s teams are known as the Lincoln Lions, and their colors are orange and blue.

Notable alumni
Lincoln University has produced many notable graduates, including Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, poet Langston Hughes, and leaders who helped shape education, government, and the arts. Other famous alumni include Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana’s first president), Cab Calloway, Paul Robeson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Horace Mann Bond, and many others who have made significant contributions in various fields.