Movement1960
Greensboro Sit-Ins Begin
Four African American college students sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and refused to leave after being denied service. Their peaceful protest sparked a sit-in movement across the South.
Why It Matters
The sit-ins demonstrated the power of nonviolent direct action and youth activism, energizing the Civil Rights Movement and leading to the desegregation of many public accommodations.