Voorhees University Hosts Diocesan Learning Day
Learning Day at Voorhees University on Saturday, October 3 proved to be a splendid event as more than 80 people gathered to learn the school’s storied history. A highlight of the day was a fantastic documentary about the school’s founder, Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, who was dedicated to establishing a school in Denmark, South Carolina. Through exceptional leadership, she successfully educated generations of students of color within the local community. Watch the documentary online at this link.
The history segment also highlighted several alumni who were raised in the area and attended church at St. Philip’s Chapel. One alumna recalled that during her time as a student at Voorhees, a priest from Christ Church, Denmark, visited students at St. Philip’s Chapel to share the breaking news when the U.S. Supreme Court published their decision regarding Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.
Additionally, attendees heard from Bakari Sellers, a South Carolina attorney and former South Carolina state representative who now also serves as a CNN contributor. He talked about growing up attending St. Philip’s Chapel and how his faith and experiences there influenced his development into a prominent leader within the Denmark-Orangeburg community and beyond.
The day concluded with Eucharist, presided over and celebrated by Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley. The Reverend Sheera Yates, a United Methodist minister in Orangeburg whose mother graduated from Voorhees, delivered a sermon emphasizing the importance of understanding Voorhees’ historical past and inspiring current leaders to guide the future.
Many thanks to the members of our diocese, representatives of Voorhees University, and attendees from the local Denmark community who came out for this special event. Learning Day, an educational initiative of the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission, provides congregations and institutions across the diocese with opportunities to gather and learn about the history and legacy of historically African-American churches and institutions.