History Of The Greensboro Four: The Civil Rights Movement

In January 1960 a college student was denied service at a bus station due to the color of his skin (p. 267). At that time nobody knew that he would be one of four courageous students to spark the very successful student sit-ins that would stimulate the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. After the Civil War, African Americans were treated as second class citizens and were prevented from exercising their basic rights under the constitution, so they used direct action and civil demonstrations to obtain their natural rights. Not all African Americans felt that this was a smart idea since most were raised to fear whites and to be respectful to them. However, the student led sit-ins were very beneficial for the rights of not just African Americans

Since everything was segregated and not equal, even after the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, African Americans created their own newspapers, churches and universities and they became focal points of black gatherings for protests (p. 265). The Greensboro Four met at North Carolina A&T, an agriculture and technology college specifically for African Americans. By segregating the races, the whites brought together four men who would influence one of the greatest movements in American history. Those who protested did fear what could happen, but they believed the outcome would be worth it. In 1963 NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers was shot in front of his home for his work in Civil Rights. During his murder trial the governor of Mississippi walked into the court room while Myrlie Evers, Medgar’s widow, was testifying and shook the hand of Medgar’s killer, Byron De La Beckwith’s hand. De La Beckwith was later found not guilty by an all-white jury (p. 266). When the Greensboro Four went to Woolworths not all agreed with their action. Some warned them that they should leave, while others ordered them to leave, blacks and whites alike. A couple of old white ladies went up to the four and told them, “Ah, you should have done it ten years ago. It’s a good thing I think you’re doing.”, and other students who heard of their actions and wanted to join their protest for equality (p. 276). Thousands of people wanted to sit-in as well, and soon after, any place that did not serve African Americans would find their establishment being protested. From then on, more and more people came to show their support and demonstrate with them (p. 281). Once the sit-in gained some exposure they received the help and support of the NAACP and the sit-ins moved to other cities like Nashville. John Lewis, who helped found the Student Non-Violent