For the first half of the 20th century, there was only one school in Paducah that served the far western Kentucky city’s Black students. Despite being assigned to the school based on the color of their skin, Lincoln High School alumni say the institution and its educators inspired excellence and created a community that pushed students and alumni to be the best versions of themselves.
For nearly 30 years, the property where Lincoln High School once stood was an empty field unremarkable to those not familiar with the block’s history. But on Friday, dozens gathered for the unveiling of a new Kentucky Historical Society marker recognizing the school that – despite the intent of segregation – helped students to make the most of their educational opportunities.
Betty Jackson Walker said she and Loretta Tipton-Perry spent months researching the history of the Lincoln campus – which also served elementary and middle schoolers – and interviewing alumni and former students to put together a proposal for the new plaque. Several of Walker’s siblings graduated from Lincoln – and she went to school there until she was moved to Walter Jetton Junior High School in sixth grade.
From its opening in 1894 until the last class graduated in 1965, Walker said Lincoln High School served as a “safe haven” for Black residents of Paducah.
“Without Lincoln High School, we wouldn't have had a nurturing environment. Without Lincoln High School, we wouldn't have had a staff that cared. Without Lincoln High School, we wouldn't have had a place to go to feel like we belong,” Walker said.
In 1956, six Black students integrated Paducah Tilghman High School. For a few years, Black families in Paducah could choose whether to send their children to Paducah Tilghman or Lincoln. But, ultimately, the schools were consolidated and Lincoln was closed in 1965.
Raymond Chism, who co-sponsored the new historical marker, was part of Lincoln High School’s last graduating class. He said this school wasn’t just a place that decades of Black families in Paducah had to attend: It was an institution that they were proud to be a part of.
“Behind [those] walls were educators who understood that education could be [a] pathway to something greater,” Chism said. “There were students with dreams. There was friendship formed, lessons learned, victories celebrated, and young people prepared to walk into the world that would not always welcome them, but they walked into it prepared anyway.”
The former Lincoln High School building was torn down in 1998. But an organization called the Lincoln Station Foundation plans to build a community center on the grounds of the former school. The state legislature allocated $1 million for the project in 2024.
Foundation board member J.W. Cleary said the historical marker serves as a bridge between the legacy of the Lincoln school and the space’s future – one that he hopes will create similar community connections and traditions.
“Our vision [is] to be creating a place where education, health, leadership, and opportunities once again come together to uplift individuals and strengthen families. While the building will be new, the mission remains remarkable: investing in people and believing in their potential,” Cleary said.
Ultimately, Walker said Lincoln High School was more than just a building – and that its legacy extends beyond the new marker.
“It was a tradition. The staff and the students that emerged out of Lincoln were very, very successful,” Walker said. “The purpose of a lot of this is for young people to be able to understand that they can achieve anything. If we can do it against all odds, they should be able to do it today.”
