Today begins Black History Month, and it also happens to be the 60th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-in.
If you’re not familiar with this important moment in the battle for civil rights, after being denied service at a Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth’s lunch counter because of their race, four African-American college students sat down and refused to leave. They were also upset about the murder of Emmett Till, who was murdered five years previously for supposedly whistling at a white woman. Their peaceful protest was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and the Freedom Riders, and Mohandas Gandhi.
Despite an ugly racial backlash, they also gained a lot of support, and by the third day over 300 protesters had joined them. Thanks to their courage, not only did Woolworth stop segregating its dining area on July 25, 1960, but they helped spark additional protests, making this a monumental part of the Civil Rights Movement.
Google is marking the occasion with this magnificent diorama by artist Karen Collins of the African American Miniature Museum.
When asked what she hopes people will take away from the Doodle, she responded:
“I hope that everyone, especially young people, will go on to learn more about the sit-in, and their personal histories as a whole. A lot of people sacrificed and died for the freedoms we enjoy today, and we should remember that and honor them. My goal is to show the strength of the people. We are not weak. We can keep going and strive to do better.”
