Lamar, South Carolina
| Lamar, South Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Location of Lamar, South Carolina |
|
| Coordinates: 34°10′13″N 80°3′45″W / 34.17028°N 80.06250°WCoordinates: 34°10′13″N 80°3′45″W / 34.17028°N 80.06250°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Darlington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.2 sq mi (3.0 km2) |
| • Land | 1.2 sq mi (3.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 989 |
| • Density | 845/sq mi (326.3/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 29069 |
| Area code(s) | 843 |
| FIPS code | 45-39805 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1246283 |
Lamar is a town in Darlington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 989 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lamar was named for a family of early settlers.
In February 1970, during a rally opposing busing of pupils for the promotion of school desegregation, militants in Lamar, armed with baseball bats and ax handles, tipped over two buses in defiance of a court order. No one was seriously injured, but police used tear gas to restore order. The incident became an issue in the 1970 gubernatorial election between Republican then-U.S. Representative Albert Watson and his successful Democratic opponent, then-Lieutenant Governor John C. West. Prior to the violence, Watson had told a "freedom-of-choice" rally in Lamar that the parents should "ignore those who call you racists, bigots, and hard-core rednecks." Watson adopted the slogan "Your Kind of Man"; West had warned that "no reasonable alternative [to desegregation] was feasible." Some believe the incident in Lamar contributed to West's victory in the November general election.
Lamar is located in southwestern Darlington County at 34°10′13″N 80°3′45″W / 34.17028°N 80.06250°W (34.170388, -80.062526).U.S. Route 401 passes through the town, leading northeast 14 miles (23 km) to Darlington, the county seat, and southwest 24 miles (39 km) to Sumter. Exit 131 on Interstate 20 is 3 miles (5 km) to the northeast of Lamar on US 401.
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