Lincoln High School traces its origins to Lincoln School, built in 1874 as the first public school in Sumter, S.C. for African American students. Lincoln High School opened in 1937 on the same site and served as an African American high school until 1969. It was highly regarded for its academic programs, and its award-winning student newspaper, The Echo, was among its accomplishments. Funding from the Works Progress Administration offset labor costs for the large-scale construction, and in 1952 funds from S.C.'s public school equalization program added two large wings to the original building. In 1970 Lincoln H.S. consolidated with the formerly all-white Edmunds H.S. to form Sumter H.S. The building remained in use as the Council St. Campus of Sumter H.S. until 1983 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.