On Monday the 1st of February 1960, four African American students entered F. W. Woolworth store in Greensboro, North Carolina. Friends Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, David Richmond and Jibreel Khazan browsed the store and handed the cashier their selections – toothpaste, a notebook, a hairbrush. The four felt the invisible line of separation between the shopping area open to everyone and the dining area that barred African Americans from taking a seat. They knew that stepping over that line might get them arrested, beaten, or even killed. All four crossed the line in silence together and sat. They politely asked for service and were refused. The white waiter suggested they go to the “stand-up counter,” adhere to the policy for African American customers and take their order to go. By now the dining area was silent. An older African American Woolworth’s employee came out of the kitchen and suggested they follow the rules, probably worried about her job and their safety. Next, the store manager, Clarence “Curly” Harris spoke to the students and told them to rethink their actions before they got into trouble. Still, they remained in their seats. Eventually, a police officer entered the store and spoke with Harris. When he walked behind the four students and took out his Billy club, McCain thought “This is it.” The police officer paced back and forth without saying a word or escalating the situation; the four then began to understand the power they could find in nonviolence as they realized the officer didn’t know what to do, and soon left. The last person to speak to the four was an elderly white woman. She sat down next to McCain and told them she was disappointed in them. McCain asked her “Ma’am, why are you disappointed in us for asking to be served like everyone else?” The woman looked at them, put her hand on McNeil’s shoulder and said, “I’m disappointed it took you so long to do this.”
