Editing Wilberforce, Ohio

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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Wilberforce, Ohio
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Above Wilberforce from the north.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Approaching Wilberforce from the northeast
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = OHMap-doton-Wilberforce.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Wilberforce, Ohio
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Ohio]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Greene County, Ohio|Greene]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Ohio|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Xenia Township, Greene County, Ohio|Xenia]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 8.04
|area_land_km2            = 7.98
|area_water_km2           = 0.06
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.10
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.08
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.02

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2410
|population_density_sq_mi = 782.21
|population_density_km2   = 302.03

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1024
|coordinates              = {{coord|39|42|58|N|83|52|33|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 45384
|area_code                = [[Area codes 937 and 326|937, 326]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 39-85092<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2393859<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2393859}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Wilberforce''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Greene County, Ohio|Greene County]], [[Ohio]], United States. The population was 2,410 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==
After [[Wilberforce University|Wilberforce College]] was established in 1856, the community was also named for the English statesman [[William Wilberforce]], who worked for the [[Abolitionism in the United Kingdom|abolition]] of slavery and achieved the end of the [[History of slavery|slave trade]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[British Empire|its empire]].<ref>{{cite book| last1=Mangus| first1=Michael| last2=Herman| first2=Jennifer L.| title=Ohio Encyclopedia| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bndxn4Qlt4EC&pg=PA576| year=2008| publisher=North American Book Dist LLC| isbn=978-1-878592-68-2| page=576}}</ref> The small community served as an important stop for refugee slaves on the [[Underground Railroad]] before the [[American Civil War]], as it had seven stations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Paper Trails - Documents Tell the Story of Wilberforce |url=https://www.ohiohistory.org/paper-trails-documents-tell-the-story-of-wilberforce/ |publisher=Ohio History Connection |date=22 February 2011}}</ref>

The [[Ohio Historical Society]] operates the [[National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center]], which provides exhibits and learning opportunities for the regional community. The [[Association of African American Museums]], also located in Wilberforce and supported by the private university, works to build professional capacity among smaller museums.

On April 3, 1974, during the [[1974 Super Outbreak]], a [[1974 Xenia tornado|destructive F5 tornado]] moved through the area after exiting the nearby city of [[Xenia, Ohio|Xenia]], where it destroyed many homes and businesses. The tornado severely damaged several structures in Wilberforce, including multiple campus and residential buildings of [[Wilberforce University]]. [[Central State University]] also sustained significant damage, and a water tower was toppled. As a result of the tornado, 32 people were killed, and about 1,150 people were injured.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ohio Historical Society |title=April 3, 1974: Xenia Tornado |url=http://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/exhibits/swio/pages/content/1974_tornado.htm |publisher=Ohiohistory.org |access-date=2024-07-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707005507/https://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/exhibits/swio/pages/content/1974_tornado.htm |archive-date=July 7, 2012 }}</ref>

==Geography==
Wilberforce is located in central Greene County and is bordered to the southwest by the city of Xenia, the [[county seat]]. Wilberforce is part of the [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]] [[Greater Dayton|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

[[U.S. Route 42]] passes through the community, leading southwest {{Convert|3.5|mi}} to the center of Xenia and northeast {{convert|4.5|mi}} to [[Cedarville, Ohio|Cedarville]]. Downtown Dayton is {{convert|19|mi}} to the west of Wilberforce.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|8.0|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.06|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.78%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US3985092| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Wilberforce CDP, Ohio| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=January 18, 2017}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2000= 1579
|2010= 2271
|2020= 2410
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Wilberforce CDP, Ohio – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wilberforce CDP, Ohio |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US3985092&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilberforce CDP, Ohio |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US3985092&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilberforce CDP, Ohio |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US3985092&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|175
|289
|style='background: #ffffe6; |253
|11.08%
|12.73%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.50%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|1,323
|1,842
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,014
|83.79%
|81.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |83.57%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|5
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11
|0.32%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6
|0.13%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|0
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68
|0.00%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.82%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|54
|87
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41
|3.42%
|3.83%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.70%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|20
|41
|style='background: #ffffe6; |17
|1.27%
|1.81%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.71%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,579'''
|'''2,271'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''2,410'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,579 people, 189 households, and 133 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|510.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 220 housing units at an average density of {{convert|71.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 84.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 11.21% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.38% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.13% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.13% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.99% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.27% of the population.

There were 189 households, out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 7.8% under the age of 18, 69.5% from 18 to 24, 9.4% from 25 to 44, 7.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,641, and the median income for a family was $39,038. Males had a median income of $4,706 versus $23,906 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $10,483. None of the families and 6.5% of the population were living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and 16.3% of those over 64.

==Education==
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
The community has two [[historically black colleges and universities|historically black universities]]: [[Wilberforce University]], with its associated Payne Theological Seminary, and [[Central State University]].

===Wilberforce University===
[[Wilberforce University]] was established privately in 1856 as a joint project by the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] of Cincinnati and [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]]. In 1863 the AME Church sold another property in order to buy the college after its temporary closing due to financial problems during the war. It was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. Bishop [[Daniel Payne]], who led the founding and later purchase of the college, was its first president and served for many years. Many prominent scholars have taught there.

Among them was [[Charles Young (United States Army)|Charles Young]], a [[West Point]] graduate and 19th-century US Army officer who served with the [[Buffalo Soldier]]s in the West and later taught at Wilberforce. Born into [[slavery in the United States|slavery]], Young became the highest-ranking African-American officer in the US Army, a status that lasted until after World War I. His former residence, Youngsholm, has been designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]] and the [[Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument]].

Their most famous graduate is [[Dorothy Vaughan]], who is one of the women featured in Margot Lee Shetterly's history Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race (2016). It was adapted as a biographical film of the same name, also released in 2016.

===Central State University===
[[Central State University]] was established by the state legislature in 1887 as a commercial, normal and industrial department, which was located at Wilberforce in the late 19th century. In 1947, the department had expanded to four-year programs and it was established as a separate institution. With continued development, it achieved university status in 1965.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Wilberforce, Ohio}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100615162448/http://www.ohiohistory.org/undergroundrr Underground Railroad Information Station], Ohio Historical Society
* [http://www.blackmuseums.org/ Association of African American Museums]

{{Greene County, Ohio}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Greene County, Ohio]]
[[Category:African-American history of Ohio]]
[[Category:Wilberforce University]]