ORANGEBURG SC FEBRUARY 8 1965
Several incidents centering on the segregation of the local bowling alley, All-Star Bowling Lane , led up to the Orangeburg Massacre on February 8, 1968. In the fall of 1967, some of the black leaders within the community tried to convince Harry K. Floyd, the owner of the bowling alley, to allow African Americans. Floyd was unwilling to desegregate, and as a result, protests began in early February 1968. On February 5, 1968, a group of around 40 students from South Carolina State University entered the bowling alley and left peacefully after they were asked to leave by Floyd. [3] The next night more students led by John Stroman returned and entered the bowling alley. This time police were waiting for them, and several students were detained, including Stroman. After the arrests, more students began showing up, angry that protesters were being arrested. Next, the crowd broke a window of the bowling alley, and chaos ensued. Police began beating student protesters (both me