Who was involved with the sit ins?For the first sit in on the first day there were only 4 african american college students, there names were Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr and David Richmond. However the next day there were over 20 more african american students who all took the stand (or sit.) The original four first planned the sit ins with one of there white business men friends, Ralph Johns. Over a few more days hundred of african americans joined the protests and helped oersuade woolworths to change there segregation. Eventually woolworths and the police got involved but they could not do anything as all of them were doing it peacufully. Once woolworths had changed there policy 4 of there afrian employees were the first to have a lunch there.
What Happened?On Febuary the 1st 1960 the four students mentioned above walked into there woolworth store and sat down for lunch. Woolworths had a policy meaning they would refuse service to anyone who did not have white skin. After the staff asked them to move they refused to move an inch, even the police showed up but were unable to take action beacuse they had not used any physical force. They stayed there until closing and then returned again the next day this time with more students from there college. This continued for several days and each day more students would join until they had over 300 students. By this point they had very heavy media outlets following what they were doing and broadcasting it all over the globe. This lead to more protests happening like this in librarys, beaches and hotels which were all held by both black and white people. Within the year woolworths changed there policy so that there lunch counter could serve both black and white people.
|
What caused the Greensboro sit ins?There were alot of factors to why the greensboro sit ins but there were some major ones. Firstly was beacuse wool worths, which was the supermarket where the sit ins happened, where segragating there aisles. This means that they wouldnt allow black and white people in the same place. Another reason why they decidedd to do this was beacuse of Martin Luther King jnr's speech and words, he said that they should do peaceful protests instead of violent ones. There goal was to push for change and this event would help with the civil right movements.
The Consequences Of ThisNot only did WoolWorths change there policy of black people at the lunch bar and lead to more silent protests like this it also helped set up he SNCC. The SNCC stands for student nonviolent coordinating comitee. This was established so that there would be a push for equal rights and would help stop segregation, they also helped organzise silent protests like the freedom rides. This organization worked alongside with the NAACP who were also working for black rights and togehter they helped push passage of the Civil Rights Act which was signed in 1964. This was very, very essential to the civil right movement and without it the civil right act may not have even existed. it's interesting to see how big of an impact that these four boys made with a simple protest and how it was more then essential to the civil rights movement.
|
Timeline
September 3rd 1957 - Greensboro becomes the first town to desegragate all schools
Febuary 1st 1960 - The Greensboro Movement Begins
Febuary 5th 1960 - The Greensboro movement spreads to over 500 people.
July 9th 1960 - Silently Wool Worths changed there policy beause of the Greensboro movement.
August 28th 1963 - The famous Martin Luther King Jnr speech "I have a dream" is given
August 6th 1965 - The government passes a law allwoing all people to vote freely
April 11th 1968 - The government signs the civil rights act
Febuary 1st 1960 - The Greensboro Movement Begins
Febuary 5th 1960 - The Greensboro movement spreads to over 500 people.
July 9th 1960 - Silently Wool Worths changed there policy beause of the Greensboro movement.
August 28th 1963 - The famous Martin Luther King Jnr speech "I have a dream" is given
August 6th 1965 - The government passes a law allwoing all people to vote freely
April 11th 1968 - The government signs the civil rights act