Elizabeth Evelyn Wright (April 3, 1872 – December 14, 1906) founded Denmark Industrial Institute in
Denmark, South Carolina
Denmark is a city in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. The population at the 2010 census is 3,538.
Geography
Denmark is located in northwest Bamberg County at (33.321173, -81.142289). U.S. Route 78 and U.S. Route 321 cross in Denm ...
, as a school for African-American youth. It is present-day
Voorhees College
Voorhees University (formerly Voorhes College) is a private historically black university in Denmark, South Carolina. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
History
In ...
, a historically black college (HBCU). She was a humanitarian and educator, founding several schools for black children.
Early life and education
Wright was born on April 3, 1872, in rural
Talbotton, Georgia
Talbotton is a city in Talbot County, Georgia, United States. The population was 970 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Talbot County.
History
Talbotton was founded in 1828 as the seat of the newly formed Talbot County. Both the ...
. Her father, John Wesley Wright, was an African-American carpenter. Her mother, Virginia Rolfe, was a
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
woman. Wright went to a school held in a church basement.
In 1888, she matriculated at Booker T. Washington's
Tuskegee Institute
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature.
The campus was de ...
as a night student. After two years, Wright moved to
Hampton County, South Carolina
Hampton County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,561. Its county seat is Hampton. It was named for Confederate Civil War general Wade Hampton, who in the late 1870s, wi ...
, to assist in a rural school for black children. After the school was burned, she returned to Tuskegee and graduated.
Career
Inspired by her experience at Tuskegee and knowing the importance of education, Wright started several schools in the area of Denmark, but they failed due to arson, jealousy, or other reasons. Wright started a night school for African-American men in
Hampton County
Hampton County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,561. Its county seat is Hampton. It was named for Confederate Civil War general Wade Hampton, who in the late 1870s, with ...
.
In 1897, she moved to
Denmark
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, song_type = National and royal anthem
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, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
in rural
Bamberg County, South Carolina
Bamberg County is a county located in the southwestern portion of U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,311, making the rural county the fourth-least populous of any in South Carolina. Its county seat is Ba ...
. There she started a school over a store with the support of some influential people in the community. She raised money for what she called Denmark Industrial School, modeled after Tuskegee Institute.
Ralph Voorhees and his wife, philanthropists from
Clinton, New Jersey
Clinton is a town in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town's population was 2,719,Voorhees Industrial School opened for male and female students at the
elementary
Elementary may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001
* ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007
* ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977
Other uses in arts, entertainment, a ...
and
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
levels, and Wright was principal. Voorhees provided additional gifts during the next few years, and the General Assembly incorporated the school in his name.
For years this was the only high school for blacks in the area.
The school was later affiliated with the Protestant Episcopal Church and eventually became a fully accredited four-year college.
Marriage
In 1906 Wright married Martin A. Menafee, treasurer of Voorhees College. Shortly after her marriage, she became ill. She went to the well-known
Battle Creek Sanitarium
The Battle Creek Sanitarium was a world-renowned health resort in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. It started in 1866 on health principles advocated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and from 1876 to 1943 was managed by Dr. John H ...
in
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
for medical treatment but died there on December 14, 1906.Morris, J. Kenneth. ''Elizabeth Evelyn Wright: 1872-1906 Founder of Voorhees College'' (1983) University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.
Wright was buried on the Voorhees College campus.