THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELEASE
DANVILLE –The Danville Area Community College Foundation is proud to announce the development of a new scholarship honoring the memory and contributions of Mariah Vance, a remarkable woman with deep ties to both the Lincoln family and the Danville community. The scholarship seeks to recognize her legacy while supporting the educational aspirations of students at DACC.
The Mariah Vance Scholarship has been made possible through the generosity of Michael Eberhardt, whose initial $5,000 donation has laid the groundwork for this endowment. An additional $5,000 is needed to fully fund the scholarship at $10,000, ensuring its sustainability in perpetuity. The Foundation plans to spearhead fundraising efforts during Black History Month in February to reach this goal.
Few Danville residents have had a personal connection with Abraham Lincoln and his family as significant as that of Mariah Vance (1819–1904). A descendant of enslaved people, she worked in the Lincoln household in Springfield during the pivotal decade leading up to Lincoln’s presidency in 1860. Mariah’s duties included caring for the young Robert Todd Lincoln, who maintained his fondness for her throughout his life, even visiting her in Danville and providing financial support to her family after President Lincoln’s passing.
After Lincoln’s election, Mariah relocated to Danville with her husband and children, where she became a beloved figure in the community. Beyond her devoted work as a mother of 12 children, she was instrumental in founding three churches—one in Springfield and two in Danville, both of which remain active today. Mariah’s impact extended far beyond her lifetime, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of those who knew her.
Mariah’s life has been celebrated through extensive research by renowned Lincoln historian Dr. Wayne C. Temple, whose work chronicles her story before, during, and after her time with the Lincoln family. Her obituary, featured on the front page of the Commercial News in December 1904, described her as a woman widely known and deeply respected, stating, “No colored woman in Danville was so widely known as the deceased and not one held in higher regard.”
The Mariah Vance Scholarship joins a distinguished roster of DACC Foundation scholarships honoring notable figures from Danville’s history, including Joseph Cannon, William Cannon, Medal of Honor recipients John Charles Black and William Perkins Black, and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Mark and Carl Van Doren.
By supporting the Mariah Vance Scholarship, donors will help preserve the legacy of this extraordinary woman while contributing to the success of DACC students. Contributions can be made to the DACC Foundation by emailing foundation@dacc.edu or calling 217.443.8772.
Danville Area Community College is a comprehensive community college serving Illinois District 507, which consists of Vermilion County and parts of Champaign, Iroquois, Edgar, and Ford counties. DACC’s main campus is located at 2000 East Main Street, Danville. The College has a higher-learning center in Hoopeston at 847 E. Orange. To apply to DACC, call 217-443-3222 or visit the Web site at www.DACC.EDU.
