NOTABLE DATES
History of Lincoln University
1
1854
- The first degree-granting HBCU in the United States was founded as the private Ashmun Institute.
- Founded by Reverend John Miller Dickey and Sarah Emlen Cresson to provide higher education to African Americans.
2
1866
- Ashmun Institute was renamed to Lincoln University a year after President Abraham Lincoln’s assasination.
3
1953
- Lincoln University celebrated its 100th anniversary by beginning to grant degrees to women.
4
1854 - 1954
- 20% of African American physicians and 10% of African American lawyers were from Lincoln University.
5
1972
- Lincoln University formalized its association with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a state-related institution.
6
1987
- The 1st Female President of Lincoln University - Niara Sudarkasa, Ph.D.
7
1998
- The 1st African American Female U.S. Navy Admiral Lillian Fishburne '71.
8
2015
- The 1st Femal Prime Minister of Namibia Saara Kuugongelwa.
9
2016
- The 1st African American Superintendent of The Metro Nashville Public School Dr. Shawn Joseph.
10
2021
- The 1st African American CEO of YMCA of Central New York -Bertram L. Lawson II.
Honor Societies
- Alpha Chi – National Honor Scholarship Society
- Alpha Kappa Delta National Sociology Honor Society
- Alpha Mu Gamma National Foreign Language Honor Society
- Beta Beta Beta National Biological Science Honor Society
- Beta Kappa Chi Honorary Scientific Society
- Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society (Act/T.I.M.E)
- Dobro Slovo – The National Slavic Honor Society
- Iota Eta Tau Honor Society
- Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honorary Society in Economics
- Phi Iota Sigma Foreign Language Honor Society
- Phi Kappa Epsilon Honor Society
- Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society
- Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society
- Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society
- Sigma Beta Delta Business Honors Society
- Kappa Delta Pi – Tau Zeta Chapter International Honor Society in Education
Student Organizations
Student Publications, Radio, & Television
- Newspaper – The Lincolnian
- Yearbook – The Lion
- Campus radio station – WWLU
- Campus television station – LUC-TV
National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations
- Alpha Phi Alpha – Nu Chapter, 1912
- Omega Psi Phi – Beta Chapter, 1914
- Kappa Alpha Psi – Epsilon Chapter, 1915
- Phi Beta Sigma – Mu Chapter, 1922
- Alpha Kappa Alpha – Epsilon Nu Chapter, 1969
- Delta Sigma Theta – Zeta Omega Chapter, 1969
- Zeta Phi Beta – Delta Delta Chapter, 1970
- Sigma Gamma Rho – Xi Theta Chapter, 1995
- Iota Phi Theta – Epsilon Epsilon Chapter, 2000
Social Fellowships & Service Organizations
- Groove Phi Groove – Mighty Lion Chapter
- Swing Phi Swing - Gendaga Bimbisha Tabu Chapter, 1996
Music & Band Organizations
- Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band fraternity - Mu Sigma Chapter, 2010
- Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band sorority- Iota Pi Chapter, 2010
- Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity - Mu Sigma Chapter, 2016
Lincoln has over 60 student organizations as outlets for multiple interests including fashion, arts, social justice, religious, international, cultural, service, leisure, media, and publishing. A complete list of active clubs and organizations can be found at the university's website.
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY WEBSITELINCOLN UNIVERSITY
HISTORY OF FIRSTS
1854
/CUSTOMER
Established as THE nation's FIRST Degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
1882
/CUSTOMER
Joseph Charles Price, Ph.D., 1879 - Livingstone College: One of the first presidents, rectors, and/or college founders of 10 U.S. & foreign universities who is an LU Alumnus
1910
/CUSTOMER
The first African American elected to the Pennsylvania (PA) General Assembly Harry W. Bass, an 1886 Lincoln graduate.
1920
/CUSTOMER
The first African American to receive a doctor-ate in psychology and the Father of Black Psychology Francis Cecil Sumner, a 1915 graduate.
1955
/CUSTOMER
The first African American female graduate of Lincoln University, Gladys W. Walls, ’55.
1960
/CUSTOMER
The first president of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah, ’39.
2009/10
/CUSTOMER
The first African American president and then first African American chairman of the Board of Directors, United States Distance Learning Association E. Reggie Smith III, Ph.D., ’92.
Alumni who are the first presidents, rectors, and/or college founders of 10 U.S. & foreign universities:
- Livingstone College: Joseph Charles Price, Ph.D., 1879
- 1896 – South Carolina State University – Thomas Ezekiel Miller, 1872
- 1903 – Albany State University: Joseph Winthrop Holley, 1900
- 1927 – Texas Southern University
- 1939 – Fort Valley State University: Horace Mann Bond, Ph.D., 1923
- Iheme Memorial College, Nigeria
- 1951 – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
- 1955 – University of Nigeria
- 1995 – The Polytechnic of Namibia: Tjama Tjivikua, Ph.D., 1983