Current and former students of Lincoln University in Missouri filed a federal lawsuit on October 7, 2026, seeking nearly $549 million from the state for alleged systematic underfunding of the historically Black institution. The lawsuit claims Missouri violated federal laws by inequitably funding Lincoln University compared to the predominantly white University of Missouri.

This lawsuit is the first under "The 1890 Project," a national initiative to address $12.6 billion in historical underfunding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across 16 states. The outcome of this case could influence similar efforts to secure equitable funding for other land-grant HBCUs nationwide.

What the Records Show

The complaint states that Lincoln University diverted about $43.5 million from its general operating budget between 2000 and 2016 to qualify for federal agricultural funds. The university also returned nearly $8 million in federal money from 2016 to 2018 when it could not meet matching requirements. Defendants named in the lawsuit include the State of Missouri, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, Governor Mike Kehoe, Commissioner of Higher Education and Workforce Development Bennett Boggs, and UM System President Mun Choi.

The Timeline

The alleged underfunding period spans from 1987 to 2020, according to the lawsuit's citation of federal numbers. The 2023 federal analysis documented the $361.6 million disparity for Lincoln University. The lawsuit details a period from fiscal years 2000 through 2007 where Missouri provided no state matching funds for Lincoln's federal land-grant allocation. In later years, the state provided only part of the required match.

What Changed and for Whom

What the Subject Has Said Publicly

What We Could Not Confirm