Greensboro Sit-Ins and the International Civil Rights Center and Museum

On February 1, 1960, four students from Agriculture and Technical College of North Carolina went to this Woolworth's building. Knowing that the lunch counter served whites only but also knowing that some African Americans had successfully challenged tis policy in other cities, the four young men sat down and tried to order coffee. The waitress ignored the student and the manager called the police. When they came back to campus, word had quickly spread and others volunteered to join their protest. Next day there were 19 supporters, and day after that 85 people. By the end of the week there were 400 people protesting there. Months later, there were dozens of sit-ins throughout the South. The old Woolworth's is now home to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. The museum preserves the site of the February 1 sit-in and offers exhibits and archives that explain how it served as a catalyst for the direct-action protests in Greensboro and other cities.