Lincoln Memorial High School, established as Lincoln Academy Grammar School, [1] was the only public high school for African Americans in Manatee County, Florida prior to desegregation. Located in Palmetto, Florida, it was originally established as Lincoln Academy in 1930, making it Manatee County's first school for blacks. [1] In 1949, Lincoln Academy was merged with Memorial High School, becoming Lincoln Memorial High School. The high school became Lincoln Middle School in 1969 after desegregation. [2] [3]
Established as Lincoln Academy serving area students up to 8th grade, in 1930 the school added 9th through 12th grades. It was Manatee County's first school for blacks. In 1949, Lincoln Academy was merged with Memorial High School which served African American students in Palmetto, becoming Lincoln Memorial High School. [4] [2] When the schools merged, students and faculty selected the Trojan as the school mascot. [1] Eddie Shannon coached the football team. [5] The academy building became Bradenton Elementary School. [6]
The school's football field was on the other side of I.S. 41 and a tunnel was used to access it. The documentary film Through the Tunnel directed by Durand Adams, Charles E. Williams and Charles Clapsaddle was made about the history and the tunnel which remains and connects Lincoln Park and Lincoln Middle School. [4]
Lincoln Memorial High School became Lincoln Middle School in 1969 to accommodate desegregation. The school building was demolished in 1999 as a new school was being built. [3]
Lincoln Middle School became Lincoln Memorial Middle School, then Lincoln Memorial Academy. [7]
Lincoln Memorial Academy was a charter school in Palmetto, Florida. The academy's charter was revoked in 2019. A lawsuit challenging the revocation and claiming wrongful termination of the academy's charter was dismissed in 2023. [8]
Manatee County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 399,710. Manatee County is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat and largest city is Bradenton. The county was created in 1855 and named for the Florida manatee, Florida's official marine mammal. Features of Manatee County include access to the southern part of the Tampa Bay estuary, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and the Manatee River.
Bradenton is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698, up from 49,546 at the 2010 census. It is a principal city in the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Bradenton is along the Manatee River and includes the Bradenton Riverwalk. Downtown Bradenton is also home to the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.
Ellenton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,129 at the 2020 census, down from 4,275 at the 2010 census. It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Memphis is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The population was 9,024 as of the 2020 census, up from 7,848 in 2010. It is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was listed as 13,323, up from 12,606 at the 2010 census. It is part of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Manatee High School is the oldest public high school in Bradenton, Florida, operated by the Manatee County School District.
The Sarasota metropolitan area is a metropolitan area located in Southwest Florida. The metropolitan area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) consisting of Manatee County and Sarasota County. The principal cities listed by the OMB for the MSA are North Port, Bradenton, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice. At the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 833,716. The Census Bureau estimates that its population was 891,411 in 2022.
The Collier County Public Schools is a school district in Collier County, Florida. The district has schools in four cities throughout the county: Everglades City, Immokalee, Marco Island, and Naples. The district employees approximately 3,200 teachers, 49% of whom have advanced degrees. The district includes 58 schools: 29 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, 8 high schools, along with 7 charter schools, two technical schools educating adult or dually-enrolled high school students, and 5 alternative schools. The district has an 'A' overall grade.
Henry Lawrence is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for 13 seasons with the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida A&M Rattlers. Twice selected to the Pro Bowl, he won three Super Bowls with the Raiders.
The School District of Manatee County, in Manatee County, Florida, provides education to over 50,000 students. It employs over 7,000 people.
Lakewood Ranch is a planned community and census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Manatee County and northeastern Sarasota County, Florida, United States, consisting of approximately 31,000 acres (13,000 ha). It is part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 34,877.
Suncoast Behavioral Health Center, formerly known as Manatee Palms Youth Services, is a 60-bed psychiatric hospital in Bradenton, Florida.
State College of Florida Collegiate School (SCFCS) is a public charter school in Florida, United States. Established in 2010, it is part of and operates on State College of Florida's Bradenton and Venice campuses. It was created through a charter with the School District of Manatee County.
The Tampa Southern Railroad was a subsidiary of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) originally running from Uceta Yard in Tampa south to Palmetto, Bradenton, and Sarasota with a later extension southeast to Fort Ogden in the Peace River valley built shortly after. It was one of many rail lines completed during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Most of the remaining trackage now serves as CSX Transportation's Palmetto Subdivision. Another short portion just east of Sarasota also remains that is now operated by Seminole Gulf Railway.
Tara is an unincorporated area in Manatee County, Florida, United States. Tara is a planned community platted and constructed beginning in 1988 by Lake Lincoln LLC,, owned by William Higgs of Naples.
Terrance Sanders is an American former professional football defensive back. He was signed by the Utah Blaze as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Eastern Illinois.
The Manatee County Public Library is a public library that provides services and resources to the communities and visitors of Manatee County. It is a division of the Manatee County Government's Community and Veterans Services Department located in Manatee County, Florida. The library system provides patrons with in-person resources such as books, movies, and music, as well as online databases to access e-books, e-audiobooks, journal articles, magazines, and other resources. Library services include free events for the public, one-on-one learning sessions, and computers and other technological equipment available for public use. Library cards are provided at no charge to those who reside, own property, attend school, or work in Manatee County.
Waite Bellamy Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for the Florida A&M Rattlers and was selected in the 1963 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Bellamy spent his entire professional career with the Wilmington / Delaware Blue Bombers of the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL) where he won two championships in 1966 and 1967. He was named as the league's Most Valuable Player in 1970. Bellamy worked as a teacher and basketball coach at high schools in Florida after his playing retirement.