Lincoln University did not have a journalism program. On October 13, 1939, Bluford made the first of eleven attempts to enter the University of Missouri's program. On October 13, 1939 with the help of Charles Houston of the NAACP, Bluford filed the first of several lawsuits against the University. By 1941 her case had made it to the Missouri Supreme Court but she lost. Citing low attendance because of World War II, the University of Missouri subsequently closed its Journalism Graduate program. Nonetheless, the case prompted the opening of a School of Journalism at Lincoln University. The University of Missouri honored Lucile Bluford with an honorary doctorate degree in 1989. The University also named Bluford residence hall in her honor in 2018.The State of Missouri recognizes July 1st as Lucile Bluford day to honor her contributions to journalism and to the state. In 2002 Bluford received the "Kansas Citian of the Year' award from the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Bluford also received a Distinguished Service Award from the NAACP for whom she served on its board and the board of its magazine "The Crisis"