The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960,[1] which led to the Woolworth department store chain removing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States.[2] While not the first sit-ins of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, the Greensboro sit-ins were an instrumental action, leading to increased national sentiment at a crucial period in US history.[3] The primary event took place at the Greensboro, North Carolina, Woolworth store, now the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.
Contents [hide]
1 Background
2 Events at Woolworth
3 Impact
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Background[edit]
In August 1939, black attorney Samuel Wilbert Tucker organized
…show more content…
On February 1, 1960, at 4:30pm four black students from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University sat down at the lunch counter inside the Woolworth store at 132 South Elm Street in Greensboro, North Carolina.[2] The men, later known as the A&T Four or the Greensboro Four, went to Woolworth's Store, bought toothpaste and other products from a desegregated counter at the store with no problems, and then were refused service from the segregated lunch counter, at the same store.[1][6][7] Following store policy, the lunch counter staff refused to serve the black men at the "whites only" counter and store manager Clarence Harris asked them to …show more content…
Newspaper reporters and a TV videographer covered the second day of peaceful demonstrations and others in the community learned of the protests. On the third day, more than 60 people came to the Woolworth store. A statement issued by Woolworth national headquarters said the company would "abide by local custom" and maintain its segregated policy.[7]
More than 300 people took part on the fourth day. Organizers agreed to spread the sit-in protests to include the lunch counter at Greensboro's Kress store.[7]
As early as one week after the Greensboro sit-in had begun, students in other North Carolina towns launched their own sit-ins. Demonstrations spread to towns near Greensboro, including Winston-Salem, Durham, Raleigh, and Charlotte. Out-of-state towns such as Lexington, Kentucky, also saw
The Greensboro Four stayed at the restaurant until closing time. Each day they came back with more and more people. The First Greensboro Sit-In took place at Woolworth’s. “The Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest that started in 1960, when young African-American students staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and refused to leave after being denied service.” (“Greensboro Sit-In”)
Greensboro North Carolina Sit in Amy Costello On February 1st, 1960, four students sat down at the lunch counter at the Woolworths in Greensboro, where they refused service to anyone but whites. When denied service the four young men refused to get out of their seats. Police arrived but were unable to take action due to lack of provocation. By that time Ralph Johns (a local business man) had already alerted the media, who then covered the story on television.
6. On February 1st 4 african americans students from North Carolina agrical and computerwise. There 's a college in Greensboro,north carolina staged a sit in at a black and white thing. Woolworth lunch counter holding signs for the denial servings. The movement caused a U.S. campaign.
1. According to the documentary Eyes on the Prize what does "sit-ins" refer to? Sit-ins refer to Non-Violent protest. 2. What city was known as the Athens of the South?
The Greensboro sit-in took place in 1960, serving as a snapback against segregation. To put it simply, it was a way to try to fight- and maybe even right- a wrong. How exactly did McNeil relate to this sit-in? Well, he was a key part of it.
Through the struggles faced by Anne Moody and other African Americans during the 1960’s the segregation involved would be best taken down with peaceful protest. With this invested ideology white southerners would use severe action to keep their way of life intact. African Americans faced many segregation struggles by intolerant whites before during the transatlantic slave trade and emancipation from slavery. In Anne Moody’s memoir about her experience at one of the first sit-ins she inspired and brought the community together. The best tool used by Moody and others following after her was the determinative peaceful protest held by African Americans.
A huge line of black people would line up in protest. The deputes came too, keeping them from getting water or food the entire time. From seven to four thirty, Everyone would line up in 95 degree weather without water or food. After JFK Died, John made a protest where everyone in the protest would buy a share of the dobbs corporation, and when they went to eat there, they were denied service to their own diner. He recruited many staffers, but before they could do anything, three went missing.
In the typical American history class, the Civil Rights Movement of African Americans is generally summed up in a few key points. These include Martin Luther King Junior and his “I Have a Dream” speech, Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and nonviolent protest. These specific points fail to grasp the true scope of the Civil Rights Movement, and do not give enough credit to those who played significant roles in the Movement. Women are one such group of people. The common view of the Civil Rights Movement focuses on the 1950s and 1960s, which is when the Movement became more visible.
The cops stood in front of court house with there weapons and buses waited to take people to jail. The police sherrif told them they could register but the picketers need to leave. Then people cops came down and escorted people to buses, beat the others and dragged them to the buses. July 16th was just another day but now the 50s were fading away and America was not as peaceful as they made themselves
This idea can perhaps be termed a successful meme, as the sit-ins were spread to different states in order to evoke a change. A meme is most likely to be successful if it tackles a real problem, a historical event, which requires self-sacrifice, asking us to be bigger and have the guts to actually take on a challenge. The challenge which the four college students take on is huge, which is taking on the whites by performing the sit-in. They perhaps though the time is right to bring a change as they were frustrated at being left out and being
Segregation was still apart of US custom, black people were still denied seating with white guests at diners and public restaurants. Four students from Greensboro, North Carolina decided to have stay seated in their seats and in turn sparked a revolution of "sit-ins" all around the country. News spread of another bold defiance from white supremacy and support came running in, even support from white allies who decided no longer to be just witnesses to this oppression. A newer younger civil rights movement was birthed from these young men, but with this movement, there also came pressures against them from within the black community. From the black older cook who reprimanded the boys for seating, blaming their defiance for the employment troubles facing black workers, to the older black figures who opposed the students actions for sometimes altruistic, sometimes selfish reasons.
They started this to take a stand against segregation in restaurants and fast food chains. This led to the developing of a new group the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in April of 1960. This group was more aggressive then any of the other groups and provoke others to feel the need to do the same, while still being non-violent. These students were beaten, spit on, thrown, and put inside jail for wanting to be served at a diner. They knew it was going to be hard and that they probably would not be served, but what counts is the stand they took against the people to evoke change.
Finally, on Tuesday, July 26, 1960, WoolWorth's was finally desegregated. WoolWorths was not only desegregated in Greensboro North Carolina, but help make a law to that made it be illegal to segregate a public place. Over the course of those vigorous five months more than 70,000 people had participated in some type of sit-in. Of the 70,000 people, more than 3,000 people got arrested for standing up for their beliefs.
Woolworth’s lunch counter was where it all changed. Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr.,
Malcolm Gladwell opens up the article by talking about the 1960 sit-in, at the North Carolina Woolworth’s a crucial moment in the 1960s civil right movement. The author discussed that 4 college students decided to sit at the counter in Woolworth’s that was for whites only, despite being pressured by the employees the students did not move. This sit-in caught a lot of attention the next day and more college students decided to join in on the sit in. This protest became a big phenomena and each day more and more students decided to join in on the sit in. Eventually, people from other towns decided to do their own sit-ins.