Community preserves history and reclaims once segregated bowling alley
Summary
A bowling alley in Orangeburg, South Carolina, was a key site in the civil rights movement during the 1960s because it refused to serve Black customers. Protests there led to a deadly police shooting in 1968, known as the Orangeburg Massacre. Now, the community is working to restore the bowling alley as a historic place for education and healing.Key Facts
- All Star Bowling Lanes in Orangeburg refused to integrate in the 1960s.
- The bowling alley is near two historically Black universities: Claflin University and South Carolina State.
- Students protested to enter the bowling alley, leading to confrontations with police in February 1968.
- On February 8, 1968, police officers opened fire on protesters, killing three and injuring 28.
- Nine officers were charged with excessive force but were later acquitted; one protest leader was convicted then pardoned years later.
- The bowling alley stayed open and integrated only after continued protests, closing in 2007 for financial reasons.
- A new owner is now restoring the site with nonprofit and federal help to make it a place to remember history and bring the community together.
- Local historian Cecil Williams emphasizes the importance of teaching this history to honor the ongoing fight for freedom and equality.
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