BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. (WIS) – A faith leader from Boston began a 40-mile walk before dawn Thursday from Batesburg-Leesville to Columbia, retracing Highway 1 to demand state lawmakers establish a study commission on racial harm and remedies.
The walk marks 80 years since an all-white jury acquitted a Batesburg police chief in the brutal beating of decorated Black World War II veteran Sgt. Isaac Woodard.
What happened to Woodard
In 1946, Woodard, still in uniform hours after being honorably discharged from the Army, was traveling to join family. A disagreement with the bus driver led to the bus stopping in Batesburg and police being called.
Turner said Woodard was beaten repeatedly by a police officer, which caused him to go blind in 1946…