Henry Smith, Samuel Hammond, and Delano Middleton (photos courtesy SC State University)
Orangeburg, SC (WLTX) -- Saturday, February 8th marks the 46th anniversary of when it is believed one of the first civil rights tragedies struck the campus of South Carolina State University.
The Civil Rights movements of the 1960's were a troubled time for the south, when racial divides were strong and the call for equal rights were met with violence.
On February 8th, 1968, students gathered to protest "Whites only" businesses in Orangeburg, particularly the All-Star Bowling Alley, and the protests eventually moved to the campus of SC State University.
As the demonstration escalated, Highway Patrol Officers fired shots into the crowd, killing Henry Smith, Samuel Hammond, and Delano Middleton, and injuring 28 others.
SC State's I.P. Stanbeck Museum and Planetarium will screen the documentary "Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre," Friday afternoon at 5:30PM, and also host an exhibit of images from the film, captured by Cecil Williams, legendary civil rights photographer.
South Carolina State University will honor the young men and women who raised their voices against segregation during the civil rights movement in Orangeburg with a Commemoration Ceremony Saturday, on the 46th anniversary of the Orangeburg Massacre.
It will be held at Legacy Plaza Saturday Feb. 8th at 12:30PM, and in case of inclement weather, will be moved into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium.