Elizabeth Evelyn Wright (April 3, 1872-December 14, 1906) founded Denmark Industrial Institute in Denmark, South Carolina, as a school for African-American youth. (It is present-day Voorhees College, a historically black college.)
She was a humanitarian and educator, founding several schools for black children.
In 1888, she matriculated at Booker T. Washington's Tuskegee Institute as a night student. After two years, Wright moved to Hampton County, South Carolina to assist in a rural school for black children. After the school was burned, she returned to Tuskegee and graduated.
In 1897, she moved to Denmark in rural Bamberg County, South Carolina.
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, donated $5,000 for the purchase of land and construction of the school's first building.
In 1902 Voorhees Industrial School opened for male and female students at the elementary and high school levels, and Wright was principal.
Voorhees provided additional gifts during the next few years, and the General Assembly incorporated the school in his name.
The school was later affiliated with the Protestant Episcopal Church and eventually became a fully accredited four-year college.
Eternal God, you inspired Elizabeth Evelyn Wright with the love of learning and the joy of teaching: Help us also to gather and use the resources of our communities for the education of all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.