Today in History: February 8, the Orangeburg Massacre

Today is Saturday, Feb. 8, the 39th time of 2025. There are 326 days near successful the year.

Today successful history:

On Feb. 8, 1968, 3 Black students were killed and 28 wounded arsenic authorities troopers opened occurrence connected pupil demonstrators connected the field of South Carolina State College successful Orangeburg successful the aftermath of protests implicit a whites-only bowling alley. The lawsuit would go known arsenic the Orangeburg Massacre.

Also connected this date:

In 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded astatine Fotheringhay Castle successful England aft she was implicated successful a crippled to execution her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1693, a charter was granted for the College of William and Mary successful Williamsburg successful the Virginia Colony.

In 1904, Japan launched a astonishment onslaught connected the Russian Navy astatine Port Arthur (now Dalian, China), marking the opening of the Russo-Japanese War.

In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.

In 1915, D.W. Griffith’s arguable epic movie “The Birth of a Nation” premiered successful Los Angeles.

In 1924, the archetypal execution by state successful the United States took spot astatine the Nevada State Prison successful Carson City arsenic Gee Jon, a Chinese migrant convicted of murder, was enactment to death.

In 1936, the archetypal NFL draught was held astatine the Ritz-Carlton Hotel successful Philadelphia.

In 1960, enactment began connected the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located connected Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street successful Los Angeles.

In 1971, NASDAQ, the world’s archetypal physics banal exchange, held its archetypal trading day.

Today’s birthdays:

• Composer-conductor John Williams is 93.
• Broadcast writer Ted Koppel is 85.
• Actor Nick Nolte is 84.
• Comedian Robert Klein is 83.
• Actor-rock instrumentalist Creed Bratton is 82.
• Actor Mary Steenburgen is 72.
• Author John Grisham is 70.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Dino Ciccarelli is 65.
• Rock vocalist Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe) is 64.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning is 55.
• Actor Seth Green is 51.
• Actor William Jackson Harper is 45.
• Actor-comedian Cecily Strong is 41.
• Hip-hop creator Anderson .Paak is 39.
• Professional surfer Bethany Hamilton is 35.