First Board of Directors

Members of First Board of Directors:  Top Row:  Kita Williams '15, Dr. Anne Davis '79, Michael Taylor '97, Dr. Joe Reed '66, Carol Black '67, Middle Row: Robert Ingram '76, David Williams, Oscar Harris '65, Mark Gordon '81, Ronald Bulter '65, Botton Row: Dr. Sam Anderson III '66, Dr. Brenda Allen '81, Jami Craig '76, Darius Prewitt '82, Dr. Ja Jahannes '64. No picture:  Wesley Hurt '67, Dr. David Virgil '64

(Continued from Home page).Those historic buildings included Azikiwe-Nkrumah Hall (1865), Lincoln Hall (1866), Alumni House (1870), Cresson Hall (1870), Cannon House (1874), Houston Hall (1881), Mary Dod Brown Chapel (1890), University Hall (1891), Bond House (1891), Vail Hall (1899), Amos Hall (1902), McCauley Hall (1904), the President’s House (1906), the Life Sciences Building (1925), and Rendell Hall (1931). In response, LUHI alumni petitioned the University’s Board of Trustees to halt demolition plans and instead pursue the creation of the Lincoln University Historic District. LUHI also proposed expanding the district to include the nearby Hosanna Church, the Lincoln University Train Station, and other remnants of Hinsonville—the 19th-century free Black village upon which Ashmun Institute and Lincoln University were established.

Through collaboration with Friends of Lincoln Village, the AALU-ROAR initiative, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, elected officials, preservation advocates, and a new university administration, these efforts achieved a historic milestone. Effective June 13, 2022, all of Lincoln University’s historic buildings became part of the officially recognized Lincoln University Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places administered by the National Park Service. Today, many of these treasured buildings are undergoing restoration and rehabilitation, ensuring that future generations will experience the physical legacy of the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University.

LUHI remains deeply committed to preserving and advancing the historical, educational, and cultural legacy of Lincoln University. 

We believe that “being first matters,” and that the original buildings of Ashmun Institute and Lincoln University embody powerful stories of visionary founders, courageous students, dedicated educators, and a surrounding community that helped pave the way for freedom and higher education for Black people in America and throughout the world. Our vision is to help create a vibrant historic district stretching from the Alumni Arch to Lincoln Village—a destination that will welcome students, scholars, alumni, and visitors from around the globe to engage in exhibits, lectures, cultural programming, research opportunities, and hands-on educational experiences highlighting Lincoln University’s profound impact on American history and global Black leadership.

The original buildings of Ashmun Institute and Lincoln University embody powerful stories!

LUHI also envisions partnering with the University to develop rigorous academic and experiential learning opportunities grounded in Lincoln’s remarkable history and the broader story of Africa and the African diaspora. These initiatives may include internships and training programs in historic preservation, conservation, archival studies, public history, and museum management for undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, LUHI is committed to supporting the development of publications and research documenting Lincoln University’s history, including student activism, civil rights leadership, and efforts to resist voter suppression and racial injustice. LUHI board members, historians, researchers, writers, and collaborating scholars continue to work in archives, libraries, and community collections to produce articles, reports, digital resources, and archival compilations that preserve and share these important stories with the public for generations to come.