Racial Injustice
The Orangeburg Massacre: A Tragic Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement
November 15th, 1968, marks a somber anniversary in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. On this day, the Orangeburg Massacre took place on the campus of South Carolina State University, a historically Black college. This tragic event saw three unarmed Black students killed and 28 others injured when state highway patrolmen opened fire on a crowd of peaceful protesters.
The protest stemmed from the students' efforts to desegregate a local bowling alley that refused service to African Americans. Tensions escalated over several days of demonstrations, culminating in a bonfire on campus. When officers attempted to extinguish the fire, a confrontation ensued, and the situation spiraled out of control.
The disproportionate use of force against unarmed students sparked outrage and highlighted the ongoing racial tensions and systemic injustice prevalent in the South. Despite evidence to the contrary, the officers involved were acquitted of any wrongdoing, further fueling feelings of injustice and anger within the Black community.
@TheNewsOwl Look at Selective Service, the draft, and the Vietnam War. Senators and wealthy people could get their kids deferments. People who were poor and working class, with sons who couldn't afford a college education, had their kids sent over.π’