50th Anniversary of Winston-Salem's Sit-In Movements

50th Anniversary of Winston-Salem's Sit-In Movements

February 23, 2010 | LeShea Agnew

Today is the 50th Anniversary of black and white college students joining forces to desegregate lunch counters in downtown Winston-Salem. This morning, they were honored during a Worship in Wait service at Wait Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University. On this day 50-years ago, 10 students from Wake Forest and 11 students from the Winston-Salem Teachers College--now Winston-Salem State University--lead a peaceful non violent protest at the F.W. Woolworth's building downtown. 70 year old Reverend George Williamson is a Wake Forest alum and was one of the protestors. He spoke with WFDD's LeShea Agnew and says that day completely changed his life. Reverend Williamson says everyone was arrested for trespassing, jailed and eventually found guilty. But he says their efforts were not in vain. Students continued protesting through mid-May. And on May 25, 1960 all lunch counters in the city were officially desegregated based on an agreement between the city and lawmakers. Making Winston-Salem North Carolina's first city to do this. Reverend Williamson graduated from Wake Forest University in 1961 and remained active in the city's civil rights movements.