In 1938, Orangeburg’s First Black High School opened in the building constructed by the Works Progress Administration. It was named for Robert Shaw Wilkinson (1865-1932), and the second President of SC State College (now University) from 1911- 1932. The school’s mascot was the Wolverines, and the school colors were maroon and gray. The school adopted the motto, “Strive to Excel not to Equal.”
Throughout Wilkinson’s history, it was the only black high school in the city of Orangeburg. In 1952, Wilkinson High School moved to a new campus on Belleville Road. This school was built to help the State of South Carolina preserve segregation by equalizing black and white schools. Wilkinson students were active in the 1960’s and the Civil Rights movement. After Swann vs Mecklenburg in 1971, Wilkinson integrated with the white high school, Orangeburg High School. That is the history behind the name Orangeburg Wilkinson High School which served grades 9-12. Grades 9-10 attended the Wilkinson campus until 1973 until it became Belleville
Junior High. In 1987, with the conversion to middle school, the name again changed, and Howard Junior High became Howard Middle School.
Wilkinson High School was one of the meccas to represent black High Schools in South Carolina and the black community. As far as black high schools were concerned, we had some of the best educators in South Carolina. The students represented a proud community at that time, a difference from what we see today. Wilkinson and the community were a very tight machine that helped to keep the community as a family. We had a top-notch basketball and football program. The high stepping show styles maroon and gray Wolverine Marching Band was one of the top in SC and the Southeast.
I have had the great pleasure of talking with a South Carolina Historian, Miss Barbara Jenkins. In the early years, she was a majorette for Wilkinson High School Band. Also, Miss Evelyn Abraham Hubbard and Miss Rosalind Davis who were also majorettes. The dynamic band director was Mr. Hunt. This band was barely matched. I
have family members that graduated from Wilkinson, so I am very familiar with the legacy and rich heritage of Wilkinson High School. It’s a shame for Orangeburg County School District to disrespect Wilkinson while the old white Orangeburg High School is being renovated and not demolished. It seems that anything that represents the black community is being torn down to erase us out of history. My proposal to the County and the School Board of Orangeburg County is to preserve part of the school. Perhaps the gymnasium can be saved and named “Wilkinson Gymnasium”. That is really not too much to ask when they are saving Orangeburg High. It doesn’t make any sense when you look at the faces of city, county and school board officials. After all, this is a “Chocolate City”. The legacy and the story of Orangeburg distinguishes it from any other city, because each has its own story. So let’s preserve ours. I’m calling on Orangeburg to wake before it’s too late. We can’t afford to keep sleeping on issues that concern us.
William Green, Jr.
