The Orangeburg Massacre occurred on February 8, 1968, in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It was a tragic event in which law enforcement officers opened fire on a group of unarmed African American students who were protesting racial segregation at a local bowling alley.

During the protest, tensions escalated, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol officers began shooting into the crowd of students, resulting in the deaths of three students: Samuel Hammond Jr., Delano Middleton, and Henry Smith. Twenty-eight other people were injured in the shooting.

The Orangeburg Massacre was one of the deadliest incidents of civil rights-related violence during the 1960s and highlighted the continued struggles for racial equality and justice in the United States. The tragic event also drew attention to the disproportionate use of force against African Americans engaging in peaceful protests.