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GREENSBORO N.C. (WGHP) -
What began as talk around A&T's campus soon turned into the turning point for the Civil Rights movement.
Fifty years ago, four men from A&T protested the lunch counter at Woolworth's in downtown Greensboro and started the Civil Rights movement. However, the sit-in wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.
"We had discussed it in our dormitory room at Skye Hall during the fall, October, 1959," said Jabreel Khazan.
One day, Joseph brought out this book called, 'Pictorial History of the American Negro,' by Langston Hughes. The book discussed the great achievements of African-Americans and Khazan asked the men why they couldn't do this.
After the men discussed what they could do to change history, they began to discuss the segregation system.
"When people chose to join in the conversation, they didn't stay very long. If they stayed long, they didn't come back," said Franklin McCain. "We were considered somewhat... crazy."
Joseph McNeill, also one of the Greensboro A&T Four, said in a speech recently: "If we don't do this and if we don't do it now, who will?"
Despite being told by people they were crazy and would never be able to protest segregation, the men marched on.
"One of two things would likely happen. If I were lucky, I would be arrested and go to jail for a long time. If I were not lucky, I would come back to campus in a pine box," said McCain.
The four men decided they would go to the Woolworth's counter and not only sit-in but also order food.
"We had anticpated when we asked for service to be told 'no'. We thought the answer to that was to buy something in the store, get a receipt for it. When they say 'I'm sorry, we can't serve you', we could retort, 'That's not entirely true. You already have," said McCain.
An intricate plan and impeccable behavior acted as a mirror to show the world which side was was right. "We started winning hearts and minds from the very first day," said McCain. "I knew we were going to be successful. In my heart, I knew that. The only thing I didn't know was exactly when."
It took nearly a decade for integration to take full root, reinforcing the lesson that if you wait for society to change, you may wait forever.
"Don't wait for the masses, first of all, because they won't come. The masses never do anything but join in for a little bit and drop aside. Only those who are truly committed to the principle or the core are the ones who make things happen and it can happen again," said McCain. "The Civil Rights movement is a continuum. It's not one event that dies, it goes on for years and years."
Fifty years ago, four men from A&T protested the lunch counter at Woolworth's in downtown Greensboro and started the Civil Rights movement. However, the sit-in wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.
"We had discussed it in our dormitory room at Skye Hall during the fall, October, 1959," said Jabreel Khazan.
One day, Joseph brought out this book called, 'Pictorial History of the American Negro,' by Langston Hughes. The book discussed the great achievements of African-Americans and Khazan asked the men why they couldn't do this.
After the men discussed what they could do to change history, they began to discuss the segregation system.
"When people chose to join in the conversation, they didn't stay very long. If they stayed long, they didn't come back," said Franklin McCain. "We were considered somewhat... crazy."
Joseph McNeill, also one of the Greensboro A&T Four, said in a speech recently: "If we don't do this and if we don't do it now, who will?"
Despite being told by people they were crazy and would never be able to protest segregation, the men marched on.
"One of two things would likely happen. If I were lucky, I would be arrested and go to jail for a long time. If I were not lucky, I would come back to campus in a pine box," said McCain.
The four men decided they would go to the Woolworth's counter and not only sit-in but also order food.
"We had anticpated when we asked for service to be told 'no'. We thought the answer to that was to buy something in the store, get a receipt for it. When they say 'I'm sorry, we can't serve you', we could retort, 'That's not entirely true. You already have," said McCain.
An intricate plan and impeccable behavior acted as a mirror to show the world which side was was right. "We started winning hearts and minds from the very first day," said McCain. "I knew we were going to be successful. In my heart, I knew that. The only thing I didn't know was exactly when."
It took nearly a decade for integration to take full root, reinforcing the lesson that if you wait for society to change, you may wait forever.
"Don't wait for the masses, first of all, because they won't come. The masses never do anything but join in for a little bit and drop aside. Only those who are truly committed to the principle or the core are the ones who make things happen and it can happen again," said McCain. "The Civil Rights movement is a continuum. It's not one event that dies, it goes on for years and years."
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