Greensboro sit-ins

Greensboro_Four,_Feb_1960

Former_Woolworth_store_in_Greensboro,_NC_(2008)

The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960, which led to the Woolworth's department store chain removing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States. The Greensboro sit-ins are considered a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Background

Racial segregation in the United States was a system of racial discrimination and separation that was enforced through laws known as Jim Crow laws. These laws mandated segregation in all public facilities, including schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants, with a "separate but equal" status for African Americans. However, the facilities and services provided to African Americans were often inferior to those provided to whites.

The Sit-ins

On February 1, 1960, four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University—Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil—sat down at the "whites-only" lunch counter at the Woolworth's store in downtown Greensboro. They were refused service but remained seated in protest. The next day, more students joined the sit-in, and the movement quickly gained momentum.

Impact

The Greensboro sit-ins sparked similar protests across the country, leading to the desegregation of many public facilities. The sit-ins also inspired the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Legacy

The Greensboro sit-ins are commemorated at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, located in the former Woolworth's building where the sit-ins took place. The event is also remembered as a significant moment in the struggle for civil rights and social justice in the United States.

Related Pages

• Civil Rights Movement
• Jim Crow laws
• Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
• International Civil Rights Center and Museum
• Woolworth's