There was that much confusion going on, said bass, coauthor with jack nelson of the book the orangeburg massacre, published in 1970. History of the orangeburg massacre learn more from scsu. Orangeburg massacre pathfinder south carolina state. Orangeburg massacre 1968 and events leading up to this event during the 1950s and 1960s on the campus of south carolina state university then south carolina state college and in the local orangeburg community.
Documenting the orangeburg massacre nieman reports. Occurring two years before the betterknown kent state university shootings, and two months before the assassination of martin luther king, jr. Although some news organizations, including the associated press, characterized the shootings as a riot at the time, the orangeburg massacre came after a long series of clashes with local law enforcement and politicians. The orangeburg massacre book by jack bass, jack nelson. Part of a monument in memory of those wounded and killed in the 1968 orangeburg massacre. Over time, it evolved into a remarkable character study of white leadership in what was once proudly hailed as the new south. The approximately 200 protesters had previously demonstrated against racial segregation at a local bowling alley. The orangeburg massacre refers to the shooting of protesters by south carolina highway patrol officers in orangeburg, south carolina, on the south carolina state university campus on the evening of february 8, 1968.
Remembering the 1968 orangeburg massacre when police shot. Today i found out about the orangeburg massacre of 1968 as with many massacres around this turbulent time in history, the orangeburg massacre had its beginnings in race relations. Mathews not only expands historical investigation of race and ethnicity in the south in fresh. On a basic level, orangeburg is a chilling history lesson on the horrors of law enforcement motivated by racism and hatred. The bowling alley had become a focal point for protests led by black residents in orangeburg, as well as students from south carolina state and claflin colleges, because these two historically black colleges stood within walking distance. Three young men were shot and killed, and 28 people were wounded. The orangeburg massacre was the subject of two films released on the 40th anniversary of the massacre, in april, 2008. Jack shuler, a native of orangeburg and a graduate of the orangeburg preparatory school, provided a personal perspective on the meaning of the massacre in his 2012 book, blood and bone. But forty years later, some remember the tragedy as if it happened only yesterday. The orangeburg massacre has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Sc state university alumni gather for a conversation about the tragic event that occurred on february 8, 1968. The orangeburg massacre may have been the most visible protest in s. On the evening of february 8, 1968, south carolina state university scsu students started a bonfire on the front of campus, which is located in orangeburg, south. Three of the protestors, africanamerican males, were killed and twentyseven other protesters were injured.
The orangeburg massacre 1968 is a coproduction of northern light productions, the independent television service itvs and the national black programming consortium, with funds provided by the corporation for public broadcasting, sally jo fifer executive producer for itvs. Friday, february 2, 2007 orangeburg, sc the south carolina state university campus community will pause on thursday, feb. State and claflin college protested a segregated bowling alley and demanded change in the city and on campus. The film interviews the most important participants on both sides of the tragedy, some of whom speak for the first time about the massacre. When the shooting stopped, three young men were dead and twentyseven other students were seriously wounded. The orangeburg massacre has been excluded from most histories of the civil rights movement. The 1968 orangeburg massacre is one of the most violent and least remembered events of the civil rights movement. The orangeburg massacre, 1968 by documentary filmmakers bestor cram and judy richardson.
Those killed in orangeburg massacre honored with statues. Contains various records about basss book the orangeburg massacre 1970 including the manuscript draft and research materials with correspondence with governor robert e. At least 28 others were injured when south carolina highway patrolmen opened fire. That the orangeburg massacre of february 8, 1968 did not have more of an impact on the nation was largely a matter of timing. The orangeburg massacre paperback december 1, 1996 by jack bass author, jack nelson author 4. The murder of 3 young men,henry smith, samuel hammond, delano middleton and the wounding of 27 young men and women in a incident on the. This book was first published in 1970 and remains the authoritative source on the orangeburg massacre. State and claflin students staged a sitin at a local lunch. Will d campbell this collection of essays by eight historians along with an epilogue by noted scholar donald g. Orangeburg massacre desegregation in south carolina.
A crowd of students gathered on the campus of south carolina state university to. The legacy of the orangeburg massacre the orangeburg. The orangeburg massacre 1968 is an excellent documentary. The orangeburg massacre, 1968 2008 out of 4 documentary covering the february 8, 1968 incident on the campus of south carolina st. Beacham wrote and directed the awardwinning american public radio drama, the orangeburg massacre, starring david carradine, blair underwood and james whitmore. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Two nights before a local bowling alley was the scene of a near riot when blacks wanted to bowl but were refused.
How many nonfatal injuries occurred during the orangeburg massacre. What had begun as an attempt by peaceful young people to use the facilities of a local bowling alley had become a violent confrontation between aroused students and the coercive power of the state. The orangeburg massacre occurred on the night of february 8, 1968, when a civil rights protest at south carolina state university sc state turned deadly after highway patrolmen opened fire on about 200 unarmed black student protestors. After sellerss conviction, the state of south carolina effectively closed the book on the orangeburg massacre, despite no one being held. The orangeburg massacre february 8, 1968 old ones dream. The orangeburg massacre journalists jack bass and jack nelson recount the events of february 1968 and their aftermath. Its 2015 and this is not mentioned in our history books. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. On the night of february 8th, 1968, officers of the law opened fir. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Orangeburg massacre project gutenberg selfpublishing. Who were the authors that wrote the book, the orangeburg massacre. Publication of jack bass and jack nelson s the orangeburg massacre in 1970 helped to document the event and bring the story back into public conversation. On the night of february 8th, 1968, officers of the law opened fire on protesting students on the campus of south carolina state college at orangeburg.
Fifty years ago, south carolina state university scsu students started a. The city, located between columbia and charleston, had about 14,000 residents at the time of the killing. The cover illustration for orangeburg photographer cecil williams book, orangeburg 1968, a place and time remembered. In orangeburg, two years before the kent state murders, 28 students were injured and three were. Aftermath the orangeburg massacre lowcountry digital.
This tragedy was the first of its kind on any american college campus and became known as the orangeburg massacre. The monument has a prominent place on the campus of south. Sc state hosts two events commemorating orangeburg massacre. Human affairs commissioner willis ham, all of whom. The legacy of the orangeburg massacre is a multimedia ebook that is the most comprehensive examination to date of the killing of three black students in 1968 by white highway patrolmen in orangeburg, south carolina. A colloquium featured jack bass, coauthor of the 1970 book the orangeburg massacre, and panelists cleveland sellers, john stroman and s. By february 1968, most of the public spaces in the city of orangeburg were integrated except for all star bowling lanes and the orangeburg regional hospital. Jack bass was interviewed by the book tv bus at the south carolina reading festival. Edgar hoover managed, with some success, to suppress circulation of the book because he believed it was too critical of the bureau. Son of living survivor of orangeburg massacre says tragedy. The orangeburg massacre a feature story detailing the actual events of the 1968 orangeburg massacre and seeing how far it has come by. Orangeburg massacre approximately 150 protesters had demonstrated against racial segregation at the allstar bowling alley on several occasions prior to the orangeburg massacre. The orangeburg massacre refers to four days in early february 1968 when students at s. In 1993, the book became required reading for south carolina state university firstyear students.
Explore the people and places involved in the history of the orangeburg massacre, from its origins to its aftermath. The orangeburg massacre is the most common name given to an incident on february 8, 1968, in which nine south carolina highway patrol officers in orangeburg, south carolina, fired into a crowd of protesters demonstrating against segregation at a bowling alley near the campus of south carolina state college, a historically black college. The program portrayed the true story of the killing of three black students and wounding of 27 others on the south carolina state college campus in 1968 and the subsequent cover up by the fbi and state government officials. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a dozen categories. In february, 1968, black students at south carolina state college were prohibited from using the lanes at a nearby bowling alley. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your.