February 2, 2009 - Posted by Katie Kohn
LCCR/EF interns Marcus-Alexander Neil and Katie Kohn in front of the Greensboro Woolworth's lunch counter at the National Museum of American History.
On February 1, 1960, four African American students made history when they sat down at a "whites-only" lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C.
This afternoon, I and two fellow LCCR/EF interns visited the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., to reflect on this historic event.
The museum display contains a section of the actual Woolworth's lunch counter, the site of a sit-in and boycott that lasted nearly six months and brought national attention to segregation in the South.
Despite the historic impact of this protest, I found the lunch counter itself to be ordinary. Nevertheless, the lackluster seats provided context for introspection: I realized that the importance of the event did not stem from its location. Rather, the normalcy of the scene highlighted the uncommon accomplishment of the four individuals whose actions launched a fight for equality and inspired similar protests in 15 cities in nine states across the country.
Categories: Civil Rights History
Follow Us
