The Greensboro The Greensboro FourFour

February 1, 1960 February 1, 1960 Greensboro, North CarolinaGreensboro, North Carolina

• Four African-American freshmen from a local Four African-American freshmen from a local university sat down at the lunch counter of a university sat down at the lunch counter of a Woolworth store.Woolworth store.

• They wanted more than the food they ordered.They wanted more than the food they ordered.

The Four StudentsThe Four Students

• David RichmondDavid Richmond• Franklin McCainFranklin McCain• Ezell Blair, Jr.Ezell Blair, Jr.• Joseph McNeilJoseph McNeil

Leaving Woolworth, February 1, 1960

At the same counter, 1980

• Stay out of white-owned Stay out of white-owned restaurantsrestaurants

• Use separate drinking Use separate drinking fountainsfountains

• Go to separate schoolsGo to separate schools• Ride in the back of the Ride in the back of the

busbus

Unwritten laws of the South Unwritten laws of the South stated that African Americans stated that African Americans should:should:

What was wrong?What was wrong?

What did they do?What did they do?

• They sat at the counter, ordered food, and They sat at the counter, ordered food, and waited to be served.waited to be served.

• They were not violent.They were not violent.• They left at the end of the day and came back They left at the end of the day and came back

the next day.the next day.

What happened next?What happened next?

• In the days that In the days that followed, hundreds of followed, hundreds of African-American African-American students joined the students joined the sit-in.sit-in.

• Students across the Students across the South were inspired South were inspired to stage sit-ins.to stage sit-ins.

• These actions led to These actions led to the integration of the integration of Woolworth and other Woolworth and other stores.stores. Protesters in front of Woolworth

The LegacyThe Legacy

• The Greensboro Four were part of the larger The Greensboro Four were part of the larger Civil Rights Movement that included the Civil Rights Movement that included the Montgomery bus boycott and Freedom Riders.Montgomery bus boycott and Freedom Riders.

• Their shoes were filled by many other young Their shoes were filled by many other young African Americans who were ready for change.African Americans who were ready for change.

Footprints of the Greensboro Four in front of Woolworth