Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project
Scope and Contents
The Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project contains two series documenting an oral history project undertaken by the Avery Research Center and South Carolina State University in 2001.
Series 1. Oral History Interviews, 2001-2002: holds 18 oral history interviews conducted in 2001 and 2002 with students, professors, journalists, and organizers who were present during the 1968 police shootings of African American college students in Orangeburg, South Carolina as well as the Governor of South Carolina at the time of the Massacre. Interviewees discuss student organizing at South Carolina State College prior to the Massacre, the political climate of Orangeburg, the Massacre itself, the role of the press, the physical, mental, and emotional trauma from being shot by police, their lives after the Massacre, and what'd they like to see happen with regards to commemorating the Massacre and recognition from South Carolina.
The oral histories are arranged alphabetically by last name at the file level. More information about the content of each oral history can be found in the abstract at the file level of each interview. The interviews were conducted by Dr. William Hine, Frank Beacham, Dr. Jack Bass, Dr. Marvin Dulaney, Damon Frodham, Alada Shinault-Small, and Dr. Theodore Rosengarten.
Series 2. Audiovisual Materials and Computer Disks, 2001-2007: contains the documentary The Orangeburg Massacre: Survivors Tell Their Stories on DVD and VHS as well as trailer for the documentary on VHS. The documentary uses footage from the oral history interviews done for this project. The series also holds three floppy disks with the original transcripts.
Dates
- Creation: 2001-2007
Access Restrictions
The audio recording and corresponding transcript of Robert E. McNair's interview are restricted to the public until 2027; however, an edited transcript by McNair is currently accessible. There are no other restrictions to this collection. A cassette player will be made available to researchers in the reading room when accessing the audiocassettes.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the Avery Research Center's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Avery Research Center claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Historical Note - Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project
The Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project was conducted in 2001 and 2002 as part of the commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of the Massacre. The interviews were conducted by Dr. William Hine, Frank Beacham, Dr. Jack Bass, Dr. Marvin Dulaney, Damon Frodham, Alada Shinault-Small, and Dr. Theodore Rosengarten. The interviews were also filmed and clips from the footage were used in The Orangeburg Massacre: Survivors Tell Their Stories.
Historical Note - Orangeburg Massacre
On the night of February 8, 1968, police officers fired into a crowd of student demonstrators, killing 3 and injuring 28, as they began to flee in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Those killed included Henry Smith and Samuel Hammond (South Carolina State College students) and Delano Middleton (a Wilkinson High School student). Those injured included students at Claflin College, South Carolina State College, Wilkinson High School, a recent graduate of SC State, and a community organizer. The police violence was the culmination of months of student organizing efforts to integrate the All-Star Bowling Lane in Orangeburg which restricted admittance "club members." Tensions heightened earlier in the week after students were arrested during a sit-in at the bowling alley and Governor Robert McNair ordered highway patrol officers and National Guardsman to the city.
February 8, 1968 marked the first time in American history where law enforcement killed American students on a college campus. The violence would come to be remembered as the Orangeburg Massacre.
Following the Massacre, nine patrolmen were charged with deprivation of rights under color of law for firing on the demonstrators, but they were later acquitted. Cleveland Sellers, the community organizer injured during the Massacre, was the only demonstrator arrested, tried, found guilty, and sentenced. While his original charges were all dropped due to lack of sufficient evidence, he was found guilty of riot on February 6. He served approximately 7 months in prison, before being released 5 months early for good behavior. The South Carolina Board of Probation, Paroles and Pardons granted a full pardon to Sellers in 1993.
Full Extent
1.05 linear feet (1 document box , 3 narrow document boxes, 21 audiocassettes, 2 VHS, and 2 DVDs)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project contains 18 oral history interviews conducted in 2001 and 2002 with students, professors, and journalists who were present during the 1968 police shootings of African American college students in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Interviewees discuss student organizing at South Carolina State College prior to the Massacre, the political climate of Orangeburg, the Massacre itself, the role of the press, the physical, mental, and emotional trauma from being shot by police, their lives after the Massacre, and what'd they like to see happen with regards to commemorating the Massacre and recognition from South Carolina. The interviews were conducted by Dr. William Hine, Frank Beacham, Dr. Jack Bass, Dr. Marvin Dulaney, Damon Frodham, Alada Shinault-Small, and Dr. Theodore Rosengarten.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in series, 1. Oral History Interviews and 2. Audiovisual Materials and Computer Disks. Within series 1, the oral histories are arranged alphabetically by last name at the file-level. More information about each individual oral history can be found at the file-level abstract for each interview.
- Oral History Interviews, 2001-2002
- Audiovisual Materials and Computer Disks, 2001-2007
Processing Information
Collection processed by Nate Hubler.
Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection.
Subject
- McNair, Robert E. (Robert Evander), 1923-2007 (Person)
- Bass, Jack (Person)
- Gadsden, Herbert, 1948-2026 (Person)
- Thomas, Frankie D., 1949-2023 (Person)
- Kennerly, Thomas (Person)
- Livingston, Dean B., 1933-2014 (Person)
- Sellers, Cleveland, 1944- (Person)
- Weston, Rubin Francis (Person)
- Williams, Isaac W., Sr., 1945-2008 (Person)
- Davis, Robert L. (Person)
- Hasan, Jamal, 1947-2014 (Person)
- Hildebrand, Charles (Person)
- Jones, Arleathia, 1946-2026 (Person)
- Riley, Harold C., 1947- (Person)
- Shuler, Ernest L., 1951-2025 (Person)
- Simmons, Jordan (Person)
- Stroman, John W, 1942-2024 (Person)
- South Carolina State University (Organization)
- Title
- Inventory of Orangeburg Massacre Oral History Project
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Nate Hubler
- Date
- August 2026
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu