The Lincoln School Project began in the Fall of 2015. A committee was formed to explore the possibility of creating an exhibit for the Highland House Museum to tell the story of integration of the Hillsboro Elementary Schools in the mid 1950's. The committee is made up of Historical Society members Kati Burwinkel, Pamela Nickell, Jim Rooney, Deb Koehl, author Charlotte Pack, former Lincoln School students Virginia Harewood, Carolyn Goins, Theresa Williams, Eleanor Cumberland, Joyce Kitrell, 101 year old "Marching Mother" Miss Elsie Young. Also participating in the planning of the exhibit are Project Consultants Susan Banyas, author of The Hillsboro Story, and University of Cincinnati history professor, Dr. Fritz Casey-Leininger. The exhibit is centered around a seventeen minute documentary "short" using the oral histories of the people who lived this event. Cincinnati documentary filmmaker, Andrea Torrice produced the film. The project has received grant support from the Ohio Humanities, South Central Power, Ohio Arts and the Stephen Wilder Foundation in Cincinnati.
Seen above are Joyce Clemons Kittrell (the plaintiff in the case), Eleanor Curtis Cumberland, author Susan Banyas, Carolyn Goins, filmmaker Andrea Torrice, Project Director Kati Burwinkel, Virginia Harewood, and 100 year old "Marching Mother" Miss Elsie Steward Young at the National Underground RR Freedom Center in Cincinnati.
The Lincoln School Story film was screened at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Marching Mothers and their children have been nominated to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Hall of Fame.
The exhibit is now open at the Highland House Museum in Hillsboro, OH. The museum is open weekends 1-4 or by appointment.