The Orangeburg Massacre was about the protest of students in Orangeburg, S. The night of February 8, 1968 went from being a peaceful demonstration to a bloody confrontation by the authorities of the state. Students of Orangeburg, S.C. were protesting because they wanted to use the bowling alley's facilities. At this time, everything was supposed to be integrated, but the owner of the bowling alley refused to let the black students bowl. The students went back to the campus of South Carolina State and began to protest, and in the act of the protest they lit a bonfire. That is when police officers came and smothered the fire. When the authorities left, the students re-lit the bonfire. When the police officers came back, they put the fire out again. Enraged, the students began throwing rocks and one student threw a banister pole and hit one of the officers in the head. There was three shots in the air and then the police officers opened fire on the students. Not one of the officers followed correct rioting procedures and in the event of that, 27 of the black students were wounded and 3 black students were killed. Several of the students who were wounded were shot when they was on the ground. Nine officers was put on trial but they were all acquitted of all charges even though they didn't follow rioting procedures. It was said that the officers thought the students were armed but as it turned out, not a single student had a firearm in their possession. The reason for choosing this article was because it hit me so close to home being that I"m currently a student at South Carolina State University, and I couldn't imagine not being able to go bowling just because I"m black. It was important for me to know this history of Orangeburg because if you don't know where you came from then how are you suppose to know where you are going. The Orangeburg Massacre is indeed similar to what other African-Americans had to go through just so we could receive the equality and injustice we deserve.
