05/27/2026
Lincoln Institute was founded in 1866 by members of the 62nd and 65th Infantry Regiments of the United States Colored Troops. These veterans, mostly enslaved Missourians, wanted to provide for their fellow African Americans what they had received in the armed forces--an opportunity for education. After five years of holding classes at various sites around the city, the school found a permanent home atop a large hill on the southern edge of Jefferson City and built a three-story building to serve its students, faculty and staff. Named Memorial Hall, it was the first of many edifices to serve the institution. This presentation by Mark Schleer, an academic librarian and LU historian, will be a retrospective celebration of the buildings of LU's past and how those structures benefited the school's growth and success. Come learn about these buildings and Lincoln University of Missouri's rich history on Wednesday, June 10 at 6:30 pm at the Missouri River Regional Library's Art Gallery.
