Founders’ Day celebrates Lincoln University of Missouri's 158 years of education service. Founded in January 1866 by Civil War veterans of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries, Lincoln Institute opened in Jefferson City on September 17, 1866, with two students. In 1887, Lincoln added college-level classes to the curriculum. Under the second Morrill Act of 1890, the school became a land-grant institution. A name change in 1921 to Lincoln University accompanied the school’s expansion to a four-year institution, and graduate studies were added in 1940. In 1954, the historically Black university opened its doors to white students and today serves a diverse student population of nearly 1,800 with an array of academic offerings.
