Rev. Daniel Joseph Jenkins

The Jenkins Institute

The Daniel Joseph Jenkins Institute, previously known as Jenkins Orphanage, was founded on December 16, 1891 by the Reverend Daniel Joseph Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins was born in Barnwell County, South Carolina in April of 1862. He moved to Arkansas for a short while, but returned to South Carolina and resided in Ladson. He later moved to Charleston where he started a business of his own selling wood. 

He started the orphanage after observing four young black children huddled together early on a cold December morning. They told him they were out early because they had no parents and no place to live. Mr. Jenkins, his heart moved with compassion, determined that he would help the children and thus began his work known today as Jenkins Institute.

The mission of the Jenkins Institute is to promote and support the social and economic well being of children, families, and individuals to enable them to become productive and self-sufficient persons in their communities.