The Orangeburg Massacre

February 8, of this year marked the 54th anniversary of the tragic Orangeburg Massacre that resulted in the death 2 South Carolina State college students, Samuel Hammond, Henry Smith, and 1 Wilkinson High School student, Delano Middleton. There had already been many marches and protests in Orangeburg along with meetings at churches and prayer vigils at the town square, now there were deaths. Being a native of Orangeburg, this was a traumatic experience for Belinda who at age 7 remembers the tanks and the fully armed National Guardsmen, some with dogs walking throughout town. There was tension and much stress as Black neighborhoods were on curfew with National Guardsmen at many entrances.

Years later as students at SCSU both Belinda and Tony attended the memorial ceremonies on campus for the three slain students and sensed the gravity of the event that seemed to be ignored by the greater Orangeburg community.…