A Brief History of the Sit-In Movement

Greensboro Sit-Ins
Bettmann / Corbis

Gathering Steam
The next day, the four young men returned to the store, along with approximately two dozen more students from the college. They sat from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and were once again refused service. As they sat, they kept themselves busy with books and study materials. Several white patrons heckled them. But their actions drew local media attention and thus attracted even more students to their cause. By the time this photo was taken on Feb. 6, the lunch-counter protest had lured several hundred people to the store.

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