LINCOLN HEIGHTS, Ohio — If you take Exit 13 off I-75, you'll find a microcosm of the Black American experience — Lincoln Heights. It's the first self-governing African-American community north of the Mason-Dixon line.
The predominantly Black community was founded in the 1920s as a suburb for Black homeowners working nearby. It was originally an unincorporated area that had no fire, police or even paved roads.
WCPO sat down with author and Lincoln Heights native Carolyn Smith, whose roots run deep in the community. Her grandmother Louis Perry was one of the first residents to live in the area — a community Smith says was built on hard work, faith and self-sufficiency.
"You knew who you were, you just fought for what you wanted," Smith said. "And that's what Lincoln Heights was all about — you fight for what you want."
You can watch our interview with Carolyn Smith here:
Residents first began that fight in 1939 when they sought to be legally incorporated. But they were immediately met with opposition from neighboring predominantly white communities.
“It was federal forces, state forces and also the Hamilton County Commission and all that," Bill Franklin, a lifelong Lincoln Heights resident, told WCPO. "Because what is Evendale, where the GE is, that is actually a neighborhood of Lincoln Heights.”
Finally, in the late 1940s, Hamilton County allowed the village to incorporate but with only about 10% of the original proposed land area.
This status gave those living there the ability to collect tax revenue to support the development and increase the quality of basic public services, like fire and police departments.
But for some living there today, the recent neo-Nazi demonstration highlighted the struggles they feel they continue to face. Residents told us they believed police needed to do more when a group of masked, armed neo-Nazis waved flags with swastikas and yelled out racial slurs near the predominantly Black community.
“I need to know what law enforcement knew and when did they know it," Franklin said. "See because somebody knew. Did they know in Columbus? Did they know in Hamilton County? Did they know in Evendale?”
Evendale police and the other responding law enforcement agencies told us they were not aware of the demonstration beforehand. You can read our breakdown of the situation here.
"Lincoln Heights is a family-oriented community that will help anybody, that loves anybody. But you’re not going to come in here and disrespect us," said Smith. "That’s a no-no."
Watch Live:
