:Voorhees University

On April 14, 1897, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright founded Denmark Industrial School for African Americans."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/735697265/ The Tuskegee of South Carolina]". Boston Evening Transcript. September 8, 1915. p. 28."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/320666390/ Many Branches of Institute]". The Montgomery Times. February 10, 1913. p. 5. Located in a rural area and the small town of Denmark, it was modeled on the well-known Tuskegee Institute of Alabama. The first classes were held on the second floor of an old store."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/330877935/ Tour of the State]". Evening Star. March 26, 1909. p. 17. Its first class was fourteen students, taught by two teachers.

File:Voorhees Industrial School.jpg

In 1902, Ralph Voorhees, a philanthropist in Clinton, New Jersey, donated $5,000 ({{Inflation|USD|5000|1902|fmt=eq|r=-3}}) to the school in order to purchase land and construct buildings."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/354157450/ Denmark Doings]". The Bamberg Herald. July 17, 1902. p. 3."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/735539251/ The Voorhees Industrial School]". Boston Evening Transcript. February 10, 1909. p. 7. The school used the donation to purchase 250 acres of land from Capt. J.B. Guess for $4,500 ({{Inflation|USD|4500|1902|fmt=eq|r=-3}}) and to build a school building on the land. The school moved to the new location in October 1902.

In 1904, the South Carolina General Assembly renamed the school and incorporated it as the Voorhees Industrial Institute for Colored Youths.

In 1924, the school was affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. In 1947, its name was changed to Voorhees School and Junior College. In 1962, with the addition of departments and four-year curriculum, it became accredited as Voorhees College.{{cite book|last=Edgar|first=Walter|title=South Carolina Encyclopedia|publisher=University of South Carolina Press|year=2006|location=Columbia, South Carolina|pages =999–1000|isbn=1-57003-598-9}}

In 1969, the school's predominantly Black student body demanded more Black study programs and the hiring of Black faculty, as well as outreach to assist the local lower income community of Denmark with scholarships. The Voorhees administration, made up of mostly Whites, ignored the students' plea. A demonstration of 500 students began as a response, which eventually inspired 75 students to command a two-day armed student occupation of the college. The president of Voorhees agreed to the students' demands, but filed a formal request to the South Carolina National Guard to subdue the students. The protesters surrendered but were subsequently arrested.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/ABC-evening-news-1969-04-29|title=ABC Evening News with Howard K. Smith - April 29, 1969|date=April 29, 1969|work=ABC Evening News|access-date=2019-02-23|publisher=American Broadcasting Corporation|language=en}}{{dead link|date=February 2022}} [https://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/broadcasts/4959 Vanderbilt Television News Archive]{{Cite web |title=Campus Unrest / Voorhees / Arms {{!}} Vanderbilt Television News Archive |url=https://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/broadcasts/4959 |access-date=2022-03-19 |website=tvnews.vanderbilt.edu}} Many were suspended.

In 2020, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $4{{nbsp}}million to Voorhees College. Her donation is the largest single gift in Voorhees' history.{{cite web | url=https://www.voorhees.edu/news/voorhees-receives-largest-single-gift-in-history-of-4m-from-billionaire-philanthropist | title=Voorhees College }}

The institution changed its name to Voorhees University in 2022 when it celebrated its 125th anniversary.{{cite web |url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/south-carolina/2022/02/22/voorhees-college-becomes-university-celebration-south-carolina-hbcu/6578363001/ |title='We're like family': Voorhees College, a private historically Black institution in Denmark |first=Tamia |last=Boyd |publisher=The Greenville News |date=February 22, 2022 |accessdate=May 18, 2022}}

{{main|Voorhees College Historic District}}

This historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1982. It includes thirteen contributing buildings constructed from 1905 to 1935. The historic district is noteworthy as an example of pioneering education for African Americans in the early 20th century, and for its association with co-founder Elizabeth Evelyn Wright. In addition, the buildings, constructed mostly by students, showed ambitious design and masonry techniques. Many of these buildings were constructed by the students of Voorhees College as part of their crafts program.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/bamberg/S10817705009/S10817705009.pdf|title=NRHP Nomination form}} Photographs of some of the buildings are available.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/bamberg/S10817705009/index.htm|title=South Carolina Department of Archives and History}}

Voorhees describes itself as a career-oriented liberal arts college,{{cite web|url=https://voorhees.edu/about-us/|title=About Us|accessdate=June 25, 2024|publisher=Voorhees}} "offer[ing] each student an intensive general educational experience coupled with professional education".{{cite web|url=http://catalog.voorhees.edu/content.php?catoid=1&navoid=43|title=Academic Division Structure|work=Voorhees University Catalog|publisher=Voorhees|accessdate=June 25, 2024}} Its academic schools are:{{cite web|url=https://voorhees.edu/division-of-academic-affairs/|title=Division of Academic Affairs|publisher=Voorhees|accessdate=June 25, 2024}}

• School of Business and Entrepreneurship

• School of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences

• School of Science, Technology, Health & Human Services

• School of Graduate Studies

• W. Franklin Evans Honors College

The general education core curriculum includes courses related to communication, mathematics, science, health, cross-cultural learning, and career development.{{cite web|url=http://catalog.voorhees.edu/content.php?catoid=1&navoid=48|work=Voorhees University Catalog|title=Academic Programs|publisher=Voorhees|accessdate=June 25, 2024}}

The Voorhees athletics teams are called the Tigers and Lady Tigers. The college is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing as a member of the HBCU Athletic Conference since the 2024-2025 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 2013–14 to 2014–15 when the HBCUAC was known as the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). The Tigers previously competed as an NAIA Independent from 2005-06 to 2012-13 and between 2015-16 and 2023-24. They also competed in the defunct Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC) from 1983–84 to 2004–05.

Voorhees competes in ten intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country and track & field; women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, softball and track & field.

The university has cheerleaders, choir, band, Student Government Association, special interest groups, fraternities, and sororities on campus.

• Jackie Dinkins - NBA player with the Chicago Bulls{{cite web|title=Jackie Dinkins NBA statistics|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dinkija01.html|work=basketball-reference.com|access-date=2 April 2014}}
• Lester Oliver Bankhead (1912–1997), American architect and class of 1941, born in Union, South Carolina and active in Los Angeles, California{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Dreck Spurlock |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t8iTAgAAQBAJ |title=African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945 |date=2004-03-01 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-95628-8 |language=en}}
• Annie Greene Nelson (1902-1993), American writer and class of 1923{{Cite web |title=Nelson, Annie Greene |url=https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/nelson-annie-greene/#:~:text=December%205,%201902%E2%80%93December%2023,Writer,%20playwright. |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=South Carolina Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}

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{{Commons category|Voorhees College}}

• [http://www.voorhees.edu/ Official website]
• [http://www.voorhees.edu/athletics Official athletics website]

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Category:Historically black universities and colleges in the United States

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1897

Category:Private universities and colleges in South Carolina

Category:Education in Bamberg County, South Carolina

Category:Episcopal Church in South Carolina

Category:Anglican education

Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the Episcopal Church (United States)

Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Category:Buildings and structures in Bamberg County, South Carolina

Category:1897 establishments in South Carolina