| Coppin Heights | |
| Settlement Type: | Neighborhood of Baltimore |
| Image Alt: | Corner grocery store named for its proximity to Coppin State University on the 2700 block of W. North Avenue, Coppin Heights, Baltimore |
| Pushpin Map: | United States Baltimore#Maryland#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Coppin Heights |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Baltimore##Location within Maryland##Location within the United States |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 39.3069°N -76.6572°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | Baltimore |
| Subdivision Type3: | City Council |
| Subdivision Name3: | District 7 |
| Unit Pref: | US |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Timezone1: | Eastern |
| Utc Offset1: | −5 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | −4 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Codes |
| Postal Code: | 21216 |
| Area Code Type: | Area Codes |
| Area Code: | 410, 443, 667 |
Coppin Heights/Ash-Co-East is a predominately African-American working-class neighborhood in West Baltimore, Maryland. It is located south of North Avenue (Rt. 40), west of N Smallwood Street, east of N Dukeland Street, and approximately north of the railroad tracks. The community was originally called "Ash Co. East" (Ash-Co-East). In 1989, it was renamed Coppin Heights.[1] The name "Coppin" is from Fanny Jackson Coppin a pioneering black educator. It is unknown what "Ash Co. East" means.
Within its boundaries are Carver Vocational-Technical High School and Wilbur H. Waters Park. In 2008, Coppin State University acquired 210 properties in Coppin Heights south of Rt. 40. This expansion, called "South Campus", has buildings for health care and technology instruction. A covered walkway connects with the main campus across Rt. 40 to the north, in Mondawmin.[2]
Coppin Heights and surrounding communities share many of the same historical problems including vacant properties, low-income families, high unemployment and crime.[3] Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC) is a non-profit that was established to make affordable housing available in Coppin Heights and the surrounding communities.
During the post-WWII period, the population of Coppin Heights and surrounding neighborhoods of West Baltimore began a rapid transition from nearly exclusively European American in 1949 to become predominantly African American by the late 1950s. This transition offered many African American households in Baltimore their first opportunity for home ownership. [4]