Lewis Woodson, was a trustee and founder of the college. It had been established in 1855 to educate black youth, as a collaboration between the white and black leaders of the Cincinnati Methodist conference and the AME Church in Ohio, respectively. Wilberforce closed for two years during the Civil War because of finances.
Lewis Woodson, a trustee and founder of the college, played a significant role in establishing it in 1855 as an institution dedicated to educating black youth. The college was founded through collaboration between white and black leaders from the Cincinnati Methodist Conference and the AME Church in Ohio. Wilberforce College temporarily closed for two years during the Civil War due to financial difficulties.