What sparked the Greensboro sit-ins of 1960, and what effect did they have?

• A. A single protest with no national impact.
• B. Four Black students sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter; sparked widespread sit-ins and accelerated desegregation.
• C. An organized boycott of all stores in Greensboro for a decade.
• D. A Supreme Court ruling ending segregation.

Answer: (B)

The action tests how nonviolent direct action can challenge everyday segregation and spark a wider movement. Four Black students from North Carolina A&T University sat at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, in early 1960 and refused to leave after being denied service. They endured harassment and waited silently, drawing national attention as their act was covered by the press. Their peaceful, steadfast stance inspired students in other cities to organize similar sit-ins, creating a wave of demonstrations across the South. The result wasn’t a single isolated protest but a powerful shift in momentum: businesses faced economic pressure as many stores desegregated to avoid losing customers, and a new generation of student activists—fronted by groups like SNCC—emerged to push for broader civil rights goals. In that sense, the Greensboro sit-ins accelerated desegregation of public accommodations and helped propel the movement toward larger national advances in civil rights.