Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre, 1968 (2008)
*** (out of 4)
Documentary covering the February 8, 1968 incident on the campus of South Carolina St. where eight seconds worth a gunfire left twenty-eight black wounded and three dead. Two nights before a local bowling alley was the scene of a near riot when blacks wanted to bowl but were refused. The aftermath of this event found Cleveland Sellers, a man many felt was the lead "Black Power" spokesman, arrested and charged with what happened even though he was one who was shot. The Governor of the state, a man who felt he was equal to both sides, quickly tried to quiet it up so that it wouldn't leak to national media and even though the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. would eventually comment on it, the entire incident has pretty much been forgotten and there has yet to be any official report on what actually happened. It's strange but no matter how many Civil Right documentaries you watch, you never really become numb to them. If would seem like once you've seen the injustice of one you'd just get use to it but each of these cases offer up things that just make you shake your head in disbelief that these events happened not so long ago. I think filmmakers Cram and Richardson paint a very open and honest look at the events and manage to get interviews with many of the people who were actually involved including Sellers, Governor McNair as well as some members of the police as well as some local media. The filmmakers are very honest in admitting that both sides did things they shouldn't have done, there's no doubt where the majority of the blame falls. It's always interesting hearing the opinions of people like Sellers and McNair, both important figures in the event. While the film lasts just under an hour, a lot of information is given and you'll certainly feel as if you've learned something about what happened.
*** (out of 4)
Documentary covering the February 8, 1968 incident on the campus of South Carolina St. where eight seconds worth a gunfire left twenty-eight black wounded and three dead. Two nights before a local bowling alley was the scene of a near riot when blacks wanted to bowl but were refused. The aftermath of this event found Cleveland Sellers, a man many felt was the lead "Black Power" spokesman, arrested and charged with what happened even though he was one who was shot. The Governor of the state, a man who felt he was equal to both sides, quickly tried to quiet it up so that it wouldn't leak to national media and even though the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. would eventually comment on it, the entire incident has pretty much been forgotten and there has yet to be any official report on what actually happened. It's strange but no matter how many Civil Right documentaries you watch, you never really become numb to them. If would seem like once you've seen the injustice of one you'd just get use to it but each of these cases offer up things that just make you shake your head in disbelief that these events happened not so long ago. I think filmmakers Cram and Richardson paint a very open and honest look at the events and manage to get interviews with many of the people who were actually involved including Sellers, Governor McNair as well as some members of the police as well as some local media. The filmmakers are very honest in admitting that both sides did things they shouldn't have done, there's no doubt where the majority of the blame falls. It's always interesting hearing the opinions of people like Sellers and McNair, both important figures in the event. While the film lasts just under an hour, a lot of information is given and you'll certainly feel as if you've learned something about what happened.
