Remembering the Orangeburg Massacre

(WOLO) ORANGEBURG,S.C., Family members and friends of the victims tell ABC Columbia News , they have forgiven, but they will never forget. 44 years ago the killings of three young men and shootings of 27 more people at South Carolina State University. Wednesday, hundreds who lived through the tragedy came out to pray for and pay homage to those who weren’t as lucky. On February 8th, 1968, South Carolina Highway Patrol officers fired rounds of ammunition into a mob of already agitated students who were protesting segregation. Three students were shot to death by those gun shots, others sustained serious injuries as a result of the attack. Some of the victim’s who attended the memorial service say it’s a moment in time they think about at least once everyday. hard to overcome what they went through many of them say they have found healing in sharing their stories with a younger generation who can now internalize what some had to go through for them to be where they are today. Besides pictures and stone markings remembering each of the victim’s, flower laced wreaths were presented during the ceremony along with a burning candle remembering the struggle endured 4 decades ago.