ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Civil rights activists organized a tribute to history in Orangeburg on Juneteenth. Historical markers were unveiled on the sites of two buildings with historic significance in Orangeburg.
“For many people in South Carolina and Orangeburg, this history is forgotten. They do not realize how great a school Christ the King was," said Christ the King School alum Luther Battiste.
The Christ the King Church and School were built in the 1940's. Both served hundreds of black parishioners until it closed in the mid 1960's. Luther Battiste attended the school from kindergarten through eighth grade.
“It memorializes the importance of Christ the King school and Christ the King church, the impact it had in the community and the development it created for so many young people like me," said Battiste.
Today, Battiste is a lawyer and credits much of his current success to the principles he learned at the school.
Glenda Mitchell also attended the school.
“There weren’t a lot of blacks in the church, or in our class, Catholics, okay," Mitchell said, “The people and generations to come, when they ride down Amelia Street, or ride down Treadwell Street, will know that Christ the King School and Christ the King Church existed, and that it made a difference in the community.”
The buildings are both located at the intersection of Amelia and Treadwell Streets in Orangeburg.