Lincoln Heights is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in Hamilton County,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

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. The population was 3,286 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

History

Lincoln Heights was founded in the 1920s by property developers as a suburban enclave for black homeowners working in nearby industries. It was originally an

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

which had no fire, police, streetlights, nor any paved roads. At the time only some houses had electricity. Many black families bought houses in the community because zoning laws and

redlining In the United States, redlining is a discriminatory practice in which services (financial and otherwise) are withheld from potential customers who reside in neighborhoods classified as "hazardous" to investment; these neighborhoods have signif ...

prevented them from purchasing property in other communities.Semuels, Alana.
The Destruction of a Black Suburb

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. ''

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''. July 13, 2015. Retrieved on July 15, 2015.

Incorporation attempts

The first attempt at incorporation came in 1939; the motive was so residents could establish their own municipal services. Lockland residents objected to the Lincoln Heights incorporation proposal because they feared Lincoln Heights' business district may compete with its own, so they filed an objection several minutes before the filing deadline occurred. This was the start of a series of delays. Kitty Morgan of ''

Cincinnati Magazine ''Cincinnati'' magazine is a monthly lifestyle magazine concerning life in and about Cincinnati, Ohio. It was created by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce in 1967. It was then purchased by CM Media in 1981. By 1997, the magazine had a c ...

'' wrote that the Hamilton County and state governments were "unsympathetic" to the attempted incorporation. - CITED
11
/ref> The manager of the Wright Aeronautical Plant, located on land that Lincoln Heights residents wished to incorporate, also filed an objection because he did not want the factory to be in a majority black municipality. The communities of Woodlawn, and then Evendale incorporated even though Lincoln Heights' application kept being delayed. They respectively took the western and eastern portions of territory that was supposed to be in Lincoln Heights, the latter of which contained the aeronautical plant (now the

GE Aviation GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, outside Cincinnati. GE Aviation is among the top aircraft engine suppliers, and offers engines for the majority of commercial aircraft. GE Aviation is part of the ...

Evendale plant). The persons trying to establish Lincoln Heights failed to successfully challenge the Evendale incorporation in court. Voters narrowly approved the incorporation of Lincoln Heights in a special election on June 18, 1941. At the time, African Americans made up 98% of the community's residents. In 1946, Hamilton County allowed Lincoln Heights to incorporate with 10% of the original proposal's area. It had no industrial tax base since there were no major factories or plants within the city limits. A

University of Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 1846 ...

professor of urban and regional planning who wrote a dissertation on Lincoln Heights, Henry Louis Taylor, stated that this made Lincoln Heights vulnerable to future economic problems.

Subsequent history

Morgan wrote that the " halcyon days" of Lincoln Heights were the post-

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

period through the 1960s. - CITED
8
/ref> At that time of incorporation it was the only black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon line, prompting

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

Thomas E. Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: although ...

to establish a tour of Lincoln Heights, inviting New York City residents to participate. In the mid-20th century many Lincoln Heights residents worked at the Wright Aeronautical Plant and a nearby chemical plant. In the 1970s Lincoln Heights had 6,099 residents. In the 1970s and 1980s many factories began to close, and the tax base of the city decreased, making it difficult to establish community programs. It became difficult for residents find employment, and many residents who attended universities never returned to the city. By 1990 the number of residents in Lincoln Heights had decreased to 4,805. This further declined to 4,113 persons in 2000. In 2000 ''

'' ranked Lincoln Heights in last place, #84, in its "The Best Places to Live," a ranking of communities in the Cincinnati area. - CITED
810
As of 2001 the community still included many longtime residents;Vela, Susan.

. ''

Cincinnati Enquirer ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. First published in 1841, the ''Enquirer'' is the last remaining daily newspaper in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, altho ...

''. June 30, 2001. Retrieved on July 15, 2015. many persons who stayed in the city had been unable to leave Lincoln Heights. That year the Lincoln Heights economic development director, Claude Audley, stated that he received telephone calls from people expressing a wish to move back to Lincoln Heights. From 2007 to 2013 the values of houses in Lincoln Heights declined by 76.4%. During the same period the housing values in nearby Indian Hill increased by 27.7%. In 2013 the population was down to 3,367. From 1970 to 2013, therefore, the population had declined by 45%. The population in nearby

Blue Ash ''Fraxinus quadrangulata'', the blue ash, is a species of ash native primarily to the Midwestern United States from Oklahoma to Michigan, as well as the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and the Nashville Basin region of Tennessee. Isolated populati ...

had increased by 46% during that time frame.

Geography

Lincoln Heights is located at (39.244608, -84.455570). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the village has a total area of , all land. As of 2002 there were 19 churches within Lincoln Heights.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 3,286 people, 1,287 households, and 803 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 1,564 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 1.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 95.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.3% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.5% of the population. There were 1,287 households, of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 17.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 39.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.30. The median age in the village was 31.9 years. 30.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 12.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 43.3% male and 56.7% female. As of 2015 the percentage of African-Americans in Lincoln Heights is among the highest in Ohio. As of the same time nearby

has more than twice the median income of Lincoln Heights.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,113 people, 1,593 households, and 1,062 families residing in the village. The

was 5,566.1 people per square mile (2,146.0/km²). There were 1,762 housing units at an average density of 2,384.5 per square mile (919.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.86%

, 0.95%

, 0.10% Native American, 0.02%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.02%

, 0.17% from

, and 0.88% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.85% of the population. There were 1,593 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.6% were

living together, 40.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.21. In the village, the population was spread out, with 34.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 74.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males. The median income for a household in the village was $19,834, and the median income for a family was $22,500. Males had a median income of $24,050 versus $21,858 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $12,121. About 26.6% of families and 29.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 42.0% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over. As of 2000 it was the Ohio municipality with the highest percentage of black residents. As of 2002 40% of the town residents rented their residences.

Government and infrastructure

The village maintains its own fire department. As of 2015 the

Hamilton County, Ohio Sheriff's Office Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilton ...

provides police services, patrolling Lincoln Heights with eight officers. The village pays $773,000 annually for this coverage.Alter, Maxim and Bryce Anslinger.
Hamilton County deputies officially replace Lincoln Heights police after 'corruption' claims

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''. January 26, 2015. Retrieved on July 15, 2015. Previously the village operated its own police department. The department, as of 2014, had eight full-time police officers, seven part-time officers, and four auxiliary officers, or citizens who work one day per week to provide support for police officers. That year, the police department's annual budget was $864,000.Marotti, Ally.
Violence vexes Lincoln Heights; police patrols boosted

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The Cincinnati Enquirer ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. First published in 1841, the ''Enquirer'' is the last remaining daily newspaper in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, alth ...

''. June 11, 2014. Retrieved on July 15, 2015.

Crime

Illegal drug The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary law, sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent the Recreational drug use, recreational use of certain intoxicating substances. While some drugs are illegal to p ...

distribution activity occurred in Lincoln heights in the 2000s, and the 2010s. In 2014 Lincoln Heights Chief of Police Conroy Chance stated that the most common illegal drugs were

crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment'' calls ...

and

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

prior to 2012, but the preferred drugs shifted to

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

that year. In 2010 Quan Truong and Jennifer Baker of ''

'' stated that Lincoln Heights had a history of violent crime, one that "plagues" Lincoln Heights.Truong, Quan and Jennifer Baker.
Gunmen attack officer in Lincoln Heights

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. ''

'' (cincinnati.com). September 16, 2010. Retrieved on July 15, 2015. Circa the 2010s typically Lincoln Heights experienced about one or two shootings occurred each year. In 1993 and 2001 there were incidents of Lincoln Heights police cars being set on fire. A man broke into the Lincoln Heights police station on fire in 1998, causing about $100,000 in damages. Persons shot the windows of the village hall and shot at police cars during the same evening. In June 2001 authorities accused 33-year-old Stan Fitzpatrick of murdering community activist Elton "Arybie" Rose after killing Fitzpatrick's girlfriend and the girlfriend's daughter. In the summer of 2010 a man fired bullets at Sharonville police officer who was chasing two suspects while in Lincoln Heights. In September 2010 men with semiautomatic weapons shot at a Woodlawn police car. In 2012 there were four shootings, with one of them being a homicide, and in 2013 there were nine shootings, with four of them being homicides. In May 2014 a joint task force made up of the

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is an investigative law enforcement agency for the U.S. state of Ohio. History The department was founded on July 9, 1921. It began as a minor records keeping facility in conjunction with the Depar ...

, the county sheriff's department, the

Cincinnati Police Department The Cincinnati Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency of Cincinnati, Ohio. The department has 1,057 sworn officers and 281 non-sworn employees. History When Cincinnati incorporated, as a village, in 1802, a ‘night watch� ...

, and the Woodlawn Police Department was established to reduce violence stemming from illegal drug issues. In 2014 Chance stated that due to the nature of crime in Lincoln Heights, "we police the way that big city polices." Since then the Lincoln Heights police department had been disbanded.

Education

Residents are a part of Princeton City Schools, which operates Lincoln Heights Elementary School. For secondary school residents attend Community Middle School and Princeton High School. The current Lincoln Heights Elementary building, with a capacity of 440 students, opened in 2006 as part of an $85 million school bond program. In 2012 the school district considered closing the school due to issues with its budget, but the school remained open after a

tax levy A tax levy under United States federal law is an administrative action by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under statutory authority, generally without going to court, to seize property to satisfy a tax liability. The levy "includes the power ...

was passed. Due to violence occurring outside of the school, it was held in an all-day

lockdown A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison ...

from May 14 to June 2, 2014. The school district stated that this was due to concern over the safety of the students.Wiechert, Brian.
Lincoln Heights Elementary School placed on lockdown for remainder of school year

Archive
. Fox 19. May 16, 2014. Retrieved on July 15, 2015. As of 2014 there were fewer than 200 students at Lincoln Heights Elementary, while 40 other elementary-aged children who live in Lincoln Heights attend other schools in the Princeton school district. The previous Lincoln Heights elementary school building is unused. In 2015 the Princeton school district put this building on an auction with a minimum bid of $69,900. As of July 2015 no individual or entity has purchased the building.

Notable people

Nikki Giovanni Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (born June 7, 1943) is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the world's most well-known African-American poets,Jane M. Barstow, Yolanda Williams Page (eds)"Nikki Giovanni" ''E ...

, poet *

Darryl Hardy Darryl Gerrod Hardy (born November 22, 1968) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks. He played college football at the University of Tennessee. E ...

, football player *

Maurice Harvey Maurice N. Harvey (born January 14, 1956) is a former professional American football Safety (American football position), safety in the National Football League. He played seven seasons for the Denver Broncos, the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit L ...

, football player *

The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

, songwriters * Yvette Simpson, Cincinnati city council member * Carl Westmoreland,

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a museum in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, based on the history of the Underground Railroad. Opened in 2004, the Center also pays tribute to all efforts to "abolish human enslavement and secure fr ...

manager and scholar *

Tony Yates Tony Yates (September 15, 1937May 16, 2020) was an American college basketball player and head coach for the Cincinnati Bearcats. As a player, he won consecutive national championships with Cincinnati in 1961 and 1962. Yates was named a third- ...

, basketball player and coach

References

External links

Village website

Finding Aid for Lincoln Heights Community Facilities records
Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio {{Authority control Villages in Hamilton County, Ohio Villages in Ohio 1920s establishments in Ohio