White Only Lunch Counters Discrimination

On February 1st of 1960 four young black college students sat down at the "whites only" lunch counter at the Woolworth Department store in Greensboro, North Carolina. White only lunch counters were consider legal at that time due to the concept that "separate but equal" did not constitute discrimination. Separation of the races at such places as movies, hotels, restaurants, bathrooms, and lunch counters was common in the southern states and was a means to foster racial discrimination and inequality. The employees working the counter, following the stores rules, refused to serve the four men and the store manager asked them to leave. The men bravely stayed until the store closed and returned the next day. This brave act was an extremely important