All-Star Triangle Bowling Alley, a historic center in Orangeburg, S.C., is finally ready for renovation after 15 years of being closed to the public. The bowling alley is known for sparking anti-segregation protests in 1968 after not allowing Black students inside, according to WLTX.
The protests led to what’s referred to as the Orangeburg Massacre at South Carolina State, in which police fired into a crowd of protestors, killing three and injuring dozens more.
Residents of Orangeburg got to take a look inside of the ’60s era bowling alley recently before the facility is redone. One, Jermain Williams, said though a painful reminder of the past, it’s important to keep historic places around. “Hopefully it can teach a lot of lessons and bring everybody together so everybody can learn to have fun and talk and congregate with everybody.”
Ellen Zisholtz of the Center for Creative Partnerships, which now owns All-Star, said renovations will begin soon thanks to a $500,000 federal grant.
“It’s going to be beautiful but it’s going to be historic,” she said. “I call it the first-ever civil rights bowling alley.”