South Carolina State University commemorates 56th anniversary of the Orangeburg Massacre

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WIS) - Thursday marked the 56-year anniversary of the civil rights encounter known as the Orangeburg Massacre.

Students, faculty, staff and activists gathered at South Carolina State University to those who were lost and affected by this tragedy.

The Orangeburg Massacre was one of the most violent incidents of the Civil Rights Movement in South Carolina. Two SC State students, Samuel Hammond, Henry Smith and Delano Middleton who was still in high school were killed when South Carolina Highway Patrolmen opened fire during a peaceful protest.

28 other unarmed students were injured. According to witnesses, many of them were shot in the back. The activists were protesting ongoing discrimination, including an all-white policy at the All-Star Bowling Alley.

Delano Whitfield, a senior at South Carolina State, shares a first name with one of the victims, but said he knew nothing about the Orangeburg Massacre until he transferred to South Carolina State University.

“It’s an unbelievable experience for me because I transferred into State three years ago and knew nothing about the Orangeburg Massacre,” said Whitfield. ”Sometimes it’s unwritten or out of the history books and one of the young men shares my name, but pronounces it differently. When I first got on campus, I felt a sense of déjà vu. I said to myself, ‘Wow, there’s something that’s drawn in connection to me through a name that draws me more into a connection to learn about what happened here.’”

Former SC State staff member Minnie Haynes was recognized along with guest speaker Dr. Clifford Stanley, who was given the 2024 Social Justice Award.

Haynes, the organizer of the first Orangeburg Massacre Commemoration, said it is necessary to continue the legacy of the lives affected from the Orangeburg Massacre.

“Being right here, knowing what led up to it, what transpired and seeing their loved ones who are still here, I have empathy for what it meant to them when it happened, and out of respect we do need to continue to recognize them,” said Haynes.

The university’s physical education facility, Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, was named in memory of the three students to honor their courage and sacrifice.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article's headline.

Stay up to date with WIS News 10. Get the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and Stream us on Roku, YouTube, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV.