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Lincoln University files $549M underfunding lawsuit against Missouri

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 2:58 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Lincoln University students have filed a $549 million lawsuit against Missouri alleging underfunding.
The suit says Missouri violated the Equal Protection Clause by giving Lincoln fewer land-grant funds than the University of Missouri.
Missouri matched no Lincoln funds from fiscal 2000-2007 and only 11-51% thereafter.
The University of Missouri received $191.7 million federal and $192.7 million state land-grant matches from 2011-2022.
Don Calloway seeks $361 million recovery and a national precedent for the case.

History

Historical Context

The 1890 Second Morrill Act forced segregated states to create separate land-grant colleges for Black students, leading Missouri to designate Lincoln University as its 1890 land-grant institution while the University of Missouri kept the 1862 status. From 1911-2022 Mizzou received $191.7 million in federal and $192.7 million in state matches; Lincoln received none, prompting a $549 million equal-protection lawsuit that could reshape HBCU funding nationwide.

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Story summary

Lincoln University students have filed a $549 million lawsuit against Missouri alleging underfunding.
The suit says Missouri violated the Equal Protection Clause by giving Lincoln fewer land-grant funds than the University of Missouri.
Missouri matched no Lincoln funds from fiscal 2000-2007 and only 11-51% thereafter.
The University of Missouri received $191.7 million federal and $192.7 million state land-grant matches from 2011-2022.
Don Calloway seeks $361 million recovery and a national precedent for the case.

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