Lincoln University students sue Missouri over decades of underfunding
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by Lincoln University students and alumni seeks $548.7 million from Missouri, alleging racial discrimination in state funding for the historically Black land-grant college from 1987 to 2020.
Seven current and former Lincoln University students have filed a federal lawsuit alleging Missouri violated civil rights by chronically underfunding the state's only public HBCU. The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, seeks $548.7 million in back funding and accuses the state of failing to meet federal obligations under the Morrill Act.
Donald Calloway Jr., lead attorney for the plaintiffs and the 1890 Project, argues Missouri violated the 14th Amendment and failed to enforce the 1890 law requiring equitable funding for historically Black land-grant colleges. The named plaintiffs say they suffered personal and professional damages due to the state's actions.
Claims of systemic neglect and personal harm
Plaintiffs describe deteriorating campus infrastructure, inadequate dining services, and insufficient student support that impacted their health and academic success. Makhi Joseph Berinyuy Jaff, who attended Lincoln in 2023 and 2024, was assigned to a residence hall built in 1963. He experienced cold water, faulty water pressure, and a pipe burst that caused fecal matter to disperse throughout the building. Jaff also reported campus-wide Wi-Fi outages, exposed pipes, and broken brick walls. He left Lincoln without a degree and currently works for an hourly wage of $15.
Current student Jaydan Monee Ware, a sophomore and student body treasurer, said she lost 15 pounds during her freshman year. The dining hall closed before her band practice ended. Plaintiffs cited limited dining hours and mostly unhealthy food options with undercooked meat, low nutritional value, and high sodium.
Financial demands and historical context
The suit seeks $548.7 million in damages for underfunding from 1987 to 2020, part of a broader national effort to recover $12.6 billion owed to historically Black land-grant colleges. The lawsuit notes a documented shortfall of $223,780,941 in nominal dollars, plus $324,972,497 in prejudgment interest.
This action aligns with a wider campaign. The 1890 Project is leading efforts to recover $12.6 billion in documented underfunding across 16 states. Donald Calloway Jr. stated the harm to Lincoln reflects broader harm. "[The underfunding] has affected the lives of generations of African Americans throughout the South," he said.
In 2023, the Biden administration wrote to governors of 16 states, including Missouri's then-governor Mike Parson. The letter stated Missouri had underfunded Lincoln University by over $361 million between 1987 and 2020. It said those funds could have supported infrastructure, student services, and research competitiveness.
Defendants and institutional responses
The lawsuit names Missouri’s governor, higher education board, and University of Missouri system president, with officials declining to comment while the case proceeds. Defendants include Governor Mike Kehoe, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, Commissioner Bennett Boggs, and University of Missouri System President Mun Y. Choi.
Through spokeswoman Gabby Picard, Governor Kehoe declined to comment, noting the office had not yet been served. A spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development also declined to comment. Spokespersons for Lincoln University and the University of Missouri System did not immediately return requests for comment. Calloway said he would like Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway to enter settlement discussions.
Federal involvement and documentation
The Biden administration previously documented Missouri’s underfunding of Lincoln University at over $361 million, though related federal letters have since been removed from public websites. Letters to all 16 states were on the federal Education Department website but were removed in the past six weeks. The department did not respond to a request to clarify if the letters were relocated or removed.
The lawsuit frames the funding disparity within the state's land-grant structure. The University of Missouri system is described as the state’s predominantly white 1862 land-grant institution. Calloway stated Missouri has not properly funded Lincoln University on par with other institutions, specifically the University of Missouri. He said the state only recently started meeting federal matching requirements after years of failure.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court-approved plan to ensure equal future funding for Lincoln University under federal supervision.
