B.F. Allen School
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B.F. Allen, initially an elementary teacher at the Pacific School for Colored Children, became a pivotal figure in Missouri’s educational history. The school, located at Osage and Fourth streets, was designated for black children after the construction of a new brick schoolhouse for white students in 1878 in Pacific, a railroad town experiencing growth. Named in honor of Allen, then a young black teacher from Moselle, the B.F. Allen School for Colored Students marked a significant step towards educational opportunities for black students in the area.
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Allen’s influence expanded when he became president of the Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City in 1902, where he significantly enhanced the educational landscape for black students in Missouri over sixteen years. Under his leadership, the institute evolved from a small college prep school into a university, embodying the growing possibilities for black education.
The B.F. Allen School in Pacific, which had been expanded to three rooms, closed in 1955 amid the integration of Missouri schools. Concurrently, Lincoln University opened its doors to students of all races, continuing the legacy of educational advancement and inclusivity that Allen had championed.