Lamar elects first female African-American mayor

Lamar, S.C. (WPDE) — Darnell Byrd-Mcpherson has been elected as the first African-American woman mayor for the Town of Lamar.

Byrd-McPherson gained 204 votes to defeat Guy Clements who had 186 votes.

She said her mother Doris Byrd was the first woman of color to serve on the Lamar Town Council.

Byrd-Mcpherson said her overall goals for the town are:

• Unite and engage the community across all the lines which may divide us, whether by race, gender, age, religious affiliation, sexual orientation. My goal is to create an inclusive environment where everyone works together to achieve goals.
• Increase economic development through partnerships with the Darlington County Council, Darlington County Legislative Delegation and our Congressional leadership.
• Improve infrastructure, specially upgrading the water system and review our law enforcement needs;
• Create more recreational opportunities for our youth;
• Pattern Lamar after the “All America City” concept.

Byrd-McPherson currently serves as the Executive Director of Darlington County First Steps (DCFS) and has held this position since 2008.

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She was given the Woman of Achievement Award in 2015 presented by the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce and the Murray L. Vincent Outstanding Prevention Professional Award presented by the S.C. Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.