On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, two alumni of Lincoln Elementary School, Marvin Gibson and Alberto Leon, will be making a presentation to the S.B. Unified School District School Board to tell their story of walking to school at Lincoln, and what Lincoln School meant to them.
Lincoln Elementary School, 100 East Cota, was one of Santa Barbara’s oldest and longest-serving public institutions (more than 100 years: 1871-1979), established when there were no automobiles and when the stagecoach was the mode of travel to and from Santa Barbara.
A majority of Lincoln’s demographic were children of working-class Latino families, but there was a diverse population of White, Black, Pacific Island, Chinese, and Japanese families who attended Lincoln.
Lincoln held a special significance to the African-American and Black community of Santa Barbara whose families owned homes, businesses, and established churches in the lower Eastside/Laguna “Lincoln” neighborhood. Their children attended Lincoln.
Please attend this meeting to support these “asks”: for SBUSD to preserve the legacy of Lincoln Elementary School, to acknowledge its historic importance to the community, and to consider re-opening Lincoln School so downtown children can walk to school again.
Where to Go: 720 Santa Barbara Street.
Time: Check SBUSD website.
