Lincoln School (Washington D.C.)

Lincoln School
Location
Capitol Hill Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°53′10″N 77°00′13″W
Information
Established	1864

Lincoln School, established in 1864, was a school for African American students in Washington, DC. The school was built after students outgrew classroom space in nearby Little Ebenezer United Methodist Church.[1][2]

History

In March 1864, the government of the District of Columbia opened a school for African American students of all ages within the Little Ebenezer United Methodist Church.[3] The school, located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, was the first government-sponsored school for African Americans in Washington, D.C.[4][3]

Emma V. Brown and Frances W. Perkins were the school's first teachers. Perkins had been sent to Washington by the New England Freedmen's Aid Society of Boston.[4][3]

The student body quickly outgrew its church space. Perkins, a white woman from New England, returned North and raised the funds needed for the construction of a new school. A lot was purchased in C Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets, SE, and construction on a new school building began.[3]

The new school building opened in winter of 1864 and was named Lincoln School. The building was a two-story structure with two classrooms on each floor.[1] A larger brick building replaced the smaller building in 1871.[3]

The office of the superintendent of 'Colored' schools was located within the school.[1]

Lincoln School operated until 1947 and was later demolished. The Capitol Hill Hotel now stands on the school's former lot.[1]

References

1. "Lost Capitol Hill: The Lincoln School". The Hill is Home. February 16, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
2. "Lincoln School: DIG DC".
3. Tristani, Nina. "Separate and Unequal Education in 19th Century DC Schools | HillRag". Retrieved January 24, 2022.
4. "archives.nypl.org -- Ebenezer United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.) records". archives.nypl.org. Retrieved January 24, 2022.