Orangeburg massacre

Orangeburg massacre
Photographer Dozier Mobley (1933-2009) · Public domain · source
Title	Orangeburg massacre
Location	South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina, U.S.
Date	February 8, 1968
Target	African-American students
Injuries	27–28
Perpetrators	South Carolina Highway Patrol

Orangeburg massacre. The Orangeburg massacre was a violent confrontation on the night of February 8, 1968, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, during which state troopers opened fire on a crowd of African-American students protesting racial segregation. The shooting, which killed three young men and wounded at least 27 others, stands as a pivotal and tragic event in the history of the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the extreme and often deadly resistance to desegregation in the American South.

Background and context

The immediate catalyst for the protest was the refusal by Harry Floyd, the owner of the All-Star Bowling Lanes, to desegregate his establishment. This was in defiance of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Students from the historically Black South Carolina State College (now South Carolina State University) and nearby Claflin University began peaceful demonstrations. The local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter and student leaders, including John Stroman, organized sit-ins and pickets. Tensions escalated as police arrested protesters, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol was mobilized. The broader context was one of heightened national unrest, with the movement shifting toward Black Power and increased militancy following years of nonviolent protest and legislative victories.

The incident

On the evening of February 8, a large crowd of students gathered on the South Carolina State campus near a bonfire. A contingent of nearly 50 state troopers and local law enforcement officers, under the command of Public Safety Director John K. "Pete" Strom, formed a line facing the students. The atmosphere was tense; a wooden banister was thrown, striking a trooper. Without issuing a clear warning to disperse, troopers suddenly opened fire with shotguns and other weapons into the crowd. The shooting lasted less than ten seconds. The victims were shot primarily in their backs, sides, and the soles of their feet as they fled. The three students killed were Samuel Hammond Jr. (18), Henry Smith (18), and Delano Middleton (17), a high school student. Dozens more were wounded by buckshot and other pellets.

Aftermath and legal proceedings

In the immediate aftermath, Governor Robert E. McNair falsely claimed a "heavy exchange of gunfire" between students and police, blaming outside Black Power agitators. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Justice under Attorney General Ramsey Clark initiated an investigation. In a historic but controversial federal trial, nine patrolmen were charged with imposing summary punishment without due process. The trial, held in Florence, South Carolina, before Judge J. Robert Martin Jr., resulted in acquittals for all defendants. No state charges were ever filed. The only person convicted in connection with the events was Cleveland Sellers, a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organizer, who was found guilty of a riot charge and served seven months in prison. A subsequent civil lawsuit brought by the victims' families was settled out of court.

Legacy and historical significance

The Orangeburg massacre is a significant but often overlooked tragedy of the Civil Rights Movement, occurring years after the more publicized Selma to Montgomery marches and preceding the Kent State shootings by two years. It demonstrated the continued, lethal violence of state authorities against Black citizens seeking basic equality. The event radicalized many young activists and underscored the limitations of federal protection. It also exposed deep media bias, as initial national news coverage was sparse and often parroted official accounts blaming the students. Historians like Jack Bass and Jack Nelson later documented the truth in their book, *The Orangeburg Massacre*. The massacre is a stark reminder of the costs of institutional racism and the struggle for social justice.

Commemoration and memorials

For decades, the massacre was a suppressed memory in South Carolina. Persistent efforts by survivors, families, and scholars led to formal recognition. In 2001, Governor Jim Hodges attended a memorial service, the first sitting governor to do so. In 2003, a monument was erected on the campus of South Carolina State University featuring statues of Hammond, Smith, and Middleton. February 8 is now observed as Orangeburg Massacre Remembrance Day at the university. The Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center on campus is named in their honor. Annual ceremonies, educational programs, and the work of the Orangeburg Massacre Commemoration Commission help ensure the event is remembered as a crucial chapter in the long history of the fight for civil rights in America.