ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University is celebrating 125 years of history. On March 4th, 1896, the institution opened its doors as the state's sole public college for African American students.
The Institution started as an industrial, agricultural, and mechanical college before evolving into a learning and research center. Due to the pandemic, the university will mark the event on Sunday. News 19 spoke with a couple of former bulldogs to see how the college has changed over time.
"I lived in the city my freshman year," said Louise Roseboro of 1948. "The second year, I lived on campus because there was plenty of room at that time. It was just about the end of World War II."
"South Carolina State College, as it was known, was an all-black-school," said Former history professor William Hine. "White people could not attend or be employed there. With the 1964 Civil Act, the college opened as did the previously all-white-institutions in South Carolina."
Hine taught history at SC State for about 40 years before recently retiring. He says our state should join in the celebration to reflect how the institution contributed to the civil rights movement.
"The institution is closely connected to the civil rights movement," explained Hine. "Students who attended SC State were deeply involved. You can begin to identify the alumnus after alumnus who contributed to this state and this nation. I think it's a profoundly important institution that gets unfortunately overlooked."
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Roseboro is being inducted into the Thomas Miller's Society during the event for her finical contributions to the school. She says SC State has a special place in her heart.
"All children wanted to go to SC State; it was just popular," said Roseboro. "You met a lot of people who came from Greenville and Charleston."