Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,410 at the 2020 census. It is home to two historically black universities, Wilberforce University and Central State University.
History
After Wilberforce University was established in 1856, the community was also named for the English statesman William Wilberforce, who worked for the abolition of slavery and achieved the end of the slave trade in the United Kingdom and its empire. 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.
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 destructive F5 tornado moved through the area after exiting the nearby city of 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.
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 Metropolitan Statistical Area.
U.S. Route 42 passes through the community, leading southwest to the center of Xenia and northeast to Cedarville. Downtown Dayton is to the west of Wilberforce.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.78%, is water.
Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Wilberforce CDP, Ohio – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!
!% 2000
!% 2010
!
|-
|White alone (NH)
|175
|289
|style='background: #ffffe6; |253
|11.08%
|12.73%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.50%
|-
|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 American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|5
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11
|0.32%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|2
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6
|0.13%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|0
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68
|0.00%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.82%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|54
|87
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41
|3.42%
|3.83%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.70%
|-
|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