Introduction

"The secret of life is knowing when to take on something difficult, that might have enormous risks and implications.  It turned out to be something we could all be very proud of."
        -Joseph McNeil

On February 1, 1960, four young college freshmen changed history as we know it today.  These four gentlemen meant that they were going to put an end to segregation and that's exactly what they did. Even though the first day of the sit-in made little impact, the boys were determined to prove their point.  “They can just sit there.  It’s nothing to me” were the words of F.W. Woolworth’s manager, C.L. Harris.  However, on the second day, word of the sit-in had spread and the four young men were accompanied by even more people.  Soon, this would be the word around many college campuses and become a bigger event than the college boys would have ever expected. 

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The boys at the Woolworth lunch counter on the first day of the sit-in.


Newspaper Headlines

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