Denmark is a city in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Denmark had a population of 3,186.

Geography

Denmark is located in northwest Bamberg County at (33.321173, -81.142289). U.S. Route 78 and U.S. Route 321 cross in Denmark just north of the downtown area. US 78 leads east to Bamberg, the county seat, and west to Blackville. US 321 leads north to Norway and south to Govan.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.09%, is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,186 people, 972 households, and 518 families residing in the city. The median age was 32.7 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 77.5 males age 18 and over.

There were 1,127 households in Denmark, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 22.1% were married-couple households, 23.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 50.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 220 || 6.9%

|-

| Black or African American || 2,865 || 89.9%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 3 || 0.1%

|-

| Asian || 22 || 0.7%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 17 || 0.5%

|-

| Two or more races || 59 || 1.9%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 19 || 0.6%

|}

2000 census

As of the census

Denmark was originally called Grahams Turnout, as it was founded in the 1830s for a railroad extension and turnout. It was later renamed after B. A. Denmark, a railroad official.

In April 1893, Mamie Baxter, a fourteen-year-old girl in Denmark, alleged that an African American unknown to her had attempted to attack her. John Peterson, a suspect, appealed to South Carolina Governor Benjamin Tillman for protection, fearing he would be lynched if taken to Denmark, and saying he could prove his innocence. He was taken by the mob, put on "trial" and, after the mob found him guilty, was murdered by hanging.

Shown Peterson before the crowd killed him, Baxter reportedly testified:

<blockquote>"I don't know him sir, that don't look like him at all. He is the same color, that's all. He don't talk like the man; he is thinner in the face, he was as dark as this man, but his eyes don't look like him."</blockquote>

Historic sites

The American Telephone and Telegraph Company Building, Denmark High School, and the Voorhees College Historic District, part of the campus of the historically black college, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Transport

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, serves Denmark, operating its Floridian daily in each direction, between Miami, Florida by way of Tampa, Jacksonville, and Savannah, and New York, New York by way of Columbia, Richmond, Washington, and Philadelphia.

Parks

  • Ceceile Playground and Court
  • Simons Davis Park
  • The Art Park

Education

Denmark contains two colleges: Denmark Technical College and Voorhees University.

Since 2022<!--Previous August from January 29, 2023 would be August 2022--> it is a part of the Bamberg County School District. Prior to 2022, it was in the Bamberg School District Two. The public high school is Denmark-Olar High School.<!--Based on its prior zoning in SD 2-->

The Denmark-Olar schools had been co-located, after an expansion of the high school campus, since circa 2019.

Denmark has a public library, a branch of the ABBE Regional Library System.

Arts and culture

Denmark is home to the Dog Wood Festival, which is a festival that includes rides, games, and food/drink stands and was originally hosted 517.01&nbsp;ft (15758.4648&nbsp;cm [estimated]) from Beech Ave to South Beech Ave, but was moved to Cypress St as of 2019. According to the history of the Dog Wood, it first began in the year of 1985 and still goes on once a year. This usually happens in April on a sunny day. This festival benefits the community.

Notable people

  • Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, founder of Voorhees College.
  • Cleveland Sellers, American educator and civil rights activist.
  • Bakari Sellers, American attorney and politician. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives for the 90th District from 2006-2014.
  • Harvey N. Middleton, American physician who advocated for black physicians' rights.

References

  • A Facebook page on the City of Denmark