Pennsylvania honors Lincoln University’s student newspaper for 100th anniversary

The Senate of Pennsylvania is honoring Lincoln University’s student newspaper, The Lincolnian, for its 100th anniversary.

Founded in 1925 as a student-run newspaper, The Lincolnian has covered campus and world news for nearly a century through the voices of Lincoln students.

The university celebrated the state’s recognition Thursday at its Philadelphia campus in University City as part of its homecoming week. Philadelphia Mayor and Lincoln alumna Cherelle Parker was said to be in attendance at the event, which also served as the homecoming kickoff pep rally. The celebration featured an exhibit showcasing some of the newspaper’s most prominent issues and honored former Lincolnian contributors and alumni who have gone on to have successful careers in journalism and media.

The newspaper has transitioned to a fully online format, covering elections, cultural events and campus issues.

Throughout its history, the paper has covered major events such as World War II, the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. It has also featured work from notable alumni including poet Langston Hughes, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minister and President, and Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first president.

The Lincolnian covered a 1946 visit from Albert Einstein, who lectured students on the theory of relativity. The newspaper also documented visits from NFL legend Jim Brown, Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm and Martin Luther King Jr., who gave an early rendition of his famed “I Have a Dream” speech during Lincoln’s 1961 commencement.

Earlier this week, the university hosted a panel featuring past writers of the Lincolnian. Carol Black, a 1967 graduate, reflected on covering the March on Washington, where she and her classmates heard King’s historic speech.

“For alumni like me, The Lincolnian is a treasure — an irreplaceable thread in the tapestry of Lincoln’s history,” Black said. “Let us protect it, preserve it and sustain it for the next 100 years, so that future generations of Lincoln students can continue to tell our story with courage, curiosity and pride.”