The Greensboro Lunch Counter: What an Artifact Can Tell Us about the Civil Rights Movement(Smithsonian Artifacts from the American Past)

On February 1, 1960, four young Black men sat down at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and staged a nonviolent protest against segregation. At that time, most lunch counters in the South did not serve Black people. Soon, thousands of students were staging sit-ins across the South. In just six months, the Greensboro Woolworth's lunch counter was integrated. How did it become a symbol of civil rights? Find out the answer to this question and more about what an artifact can tell us about history.

About the Author :
Shawn Pryor is the creator and co-author of the graphic novel mystery series Cash and Carrie, co-creator and author of the 2019 GLYPH-nominated football/drama series Force, and author of Kentucky Kaiju and Jake Maddox: Diamond Double Play. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, listening to streaming music playlists, and talking about why Zack from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is the greatest superhero of all time.

Review :
In 1960, four Black college students in Greensboro, North Carolina, sat down at Woolworth's whites-only lunch counter and ordered coffee. After service was denied, the peaceful protest continued every day and spread to other cities. Six months later, Woolworth's changed its policy. Introducing the protesters and explaining their goals, what they expected to face, and what actually happened, Pryor shows how their actions fit into the civil rights movement up to and including the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Illustrated with many archival photos, the book provides a clearer understanding of day-to-day discrimination during that period, as well as what it meant to those facing racial prejudice and why the protesters chose to use nonviolence in response. This volume from the Artifacts from the American Past series (6 titles) notes that sections of the actual lunch counter are on display at museums in Greensboro and in Washington, D.C. With its broad perspective, significant details, and well-organized presentation of ideas, this short, effective book offers a good deal of information in a very readable way.--Carolyn Phelan "Booklist" This series offers a unique way to approach historical events that will appeal to history buffs. Things as different as a brass inkstand and a lowly stump serve as reminders of major events when their stories are told. Each title gives the background of the individuals involved and the events, as well as describing the part each object played. Sidebars address related topics such as the way female, Indigenous, and Black persons were affected by events. Text boxes provide additional facts, while archival photos, images, and maps show the key players and places. A section in the back matter offers a list of museums, parks, historical sites, and other sources for further exploration. There are also suggested books and internet sites. VERDICT This series will serve well for research projects and offers a unique way to introduce important events.--Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN "School Library Journal"