Brianna Adams
Civil Rights
February 1, 1960 four young men who lived in Greensboro, North Carolina
created an influence that would change the face of the civil rights movement. This new civil
rights tactic was known as the sit-in movement. This movement swept the nation through its
peaceful and respectable form of resistance against the segregation laws being enforced in the
south. College students from different states in the deep south began using this form of
oppression in their cities to set out a clear message, to put an end to segregation. Even though the
philosophies and motives were very similar from the older civil rights tactics there were some
new forms of strategies being introduced. The sit in movement was both a continuation of civil
rights strategies through their non-violent/Christian approach and a departure through their
direct/passive aggressive notions, leadership and their sense of underlining hope. By looking at
the evidence provided one can see how the students were driven by their motives to gain respect
and equal opportunity in all aspects which influenced the sit-in movement. This movement not
only affected millions of lives but also furthered the progression of the Civil Rights movement.
In “Franklin McCain Discusses the Greensboro Sit–in” this piece of evidence relates to
bringing the old and new customs together to this movement, reflecting on how the new
generation started to develop a sense of independence and rekindling the sense of hope. Being a
part of this sit-in movement McCain and the other Greensboro men brought a new direct
approach to the civil rights movement known as the sit-in approach. By doing this the
Greensboro four rekindled the sense of hope and prosperity that had recently been lost through
segregation laws. McCain states that being involved in this movement helped him “…gain [his]
manhood” and that “… the manhood of a number of other black persons had been restored and
had gotten some respect from just that one day”.
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This quote represents the birth of new found
form of hope. Being involved in this movement gave these men confidence because they were
involved in something they truly believed in. By bringing a new direct course of action to an
older issue this created a movement that began the change in a positive direction for the civil
rights movement. Even with this new liberating form of direction some of the older generation in
the beginning did not support these boys pursuing in such acts. Due to the backlash of slavery
being abolished and in retaliation segregation laws being enforced there was a sense of fear that
was embedded in the older generation. That any form of progression would come with several
steps of regression and make times even more trying and uncomfortable for African Americans.
As a result, during this time the older generation was beginning to conform to the new societal
ways due to fear. This is the same form of fear that was embedded during the period of slavery
but instead of it being physical it was now psychological. Regardless the Greensboro boys
