43rd anniversary of 1968 tragedy is time to pause
THE ISSUE: Memorial ceremony
OUR OPINION: Knowledge of tragedy is important for new generations
Feb. 8 is a date forever etched in the history of Orangeburg. Again
today, on the 43rd anniversary of the events known as the "Orangeburg
Massacre," South Carolina State University and Orangeburg will pause to
remember the tragic deaths of three young men and the injuries to others
in protests over civil rights and in particular segregation at a Russell
Street bowling alley.
There have been and will be all sorts of conclusions about exactly what
transpired on that night in 1968 and the days that led to Highway Patrol
officers opening fire on students. Henry E. Smith, Delano B. Middleton
and Samuel Hammond Jr. were killed. They and their sacrifice will be
remembered at 3 p.m. today with a ceremony at the university's Memorial
Plaza.
The 1968 events occurred during a traumatic time in the history of a
segregated Orangeburg and an America being torn apart by the Vietnam
War. The convergence of discontent and opposition on both fronts saw the
powder keg explode. The Times and Democrat's headline then read: "All
Hell Breaks Loose."
A 1970 book, "The Orangeburg Massacre" by journalists Jack Nelson and
Jack Bass, is acknowledged as the most definitive review of the facts
and incidents involved in the Orangeburg tragedy.
Works such as the documentary "Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre
1968" and "Taking a Stand," a re-enactment performed by S.C. State
students, have broadened knowledge of the events of what former Gov.
Robert E. McNair called "one of the saddest days in the history of South
Carolina."
Still, far too many young people of all races are unfamiliar with Feb.
8, 1968.
Younger generations have trouble envisioning the events of that time.
Segregation and inequality exist still, but not as institutions of
state.
Today's segregation advocates come in all colors, with messages no less
divisive. Inequality is as much an issue of economics and opportunity as
color.
Some say there's no more need for laws addressing racial wrongs. They
see no racism, yet they know the matter of race remains a central issue.
Orangeburg has grown, not just since 1968 but in the years since 250
Orangeburg citizens came together in 1999 to issue a joint statement,
"Orangeburg, let us heal ourselves ..."
The statement, published in The Times and Democrat, pledged remembrance
of Feb. 8, 1968, and the three students. It asked also that remembrance
"be kept to the dignity for which it is intended - a solemn observance
of that tragic night in 1968."
"It should not be marred by creating a day of racial hatred in
Orangeburg by those of either race who try to rewrite the chronicle of
events of that unforgettable incident," the statement said.
The "Orangeburg Massacre'' authors have acknowledged the significance of
events in Orangeburg. When Mercer University Press in Macon, Ga., in
2002 released a revised edition of the book, a new postscript by the
authors noted the story "has taken on new life and a path toward healing
and reconciliation.''
It is a path upon which our community pledges to remain as we remember
and foster unity.
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http://m.thetandd.com/news/opinion/article_b301c006-3315-11e0-9c50-001cc4c032
86.html
Via InstaFetch
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