Trail of history friendship nine and rock hills civil. Five members of the friendship nine willie thomas massey from left, willie mccleod, james wells, clarence graham and david williamson jr. Johnson and captures the tale of the 1961 lunch counter sitin that took place in downtown rock hill, south carolina at the mccrorys variety store. Robert mccullough died on august 7, 2006 john gaines. Take a virtual tour of civil rights sites us civil rights trail. Childrens book honors friendship nine books make a difference.
A new book on the civil rights movement this post is part of our blog series that announces the publication of selected new books in african american history and african diaspora studies. Film tells of rock hill friendship nine lunch counter. By 1960, civil rights activists across the country were practicing dr. This is intriguing to me because i lived in rock hill, sc for 10 years and although my mom and me are history buffs and we heard of friendship college, we never heard of the friendship 9. A year later, the friendship nine launched the jail, no bail.
Over a years time this became so costly that something needed to be done both to save different civil rights groups money as well as make a more serious statement. This february 1960 photo shows people taking part in a civil rights sitin protest at the lunch counter in mccrorys in rock hill. This group of black students broke down the barriers of segregation with nonviolent methods. All eight surviving members of the friendship nine are invited to attend. Sparked in a north carolina college town, the sitin movement quickly spread to other cities, with organizers and students often facing violence but never retaliating so as not to depart from the. Johnson signed the civil rights act, which granted africanamerican equal rights under. Jan 28, 2015 the proceedings, though symbolic, are a recognition of the critical role this sitin protest played in the history of the civil rights movement. Civl rights steve crump special on rock hills friendship. Judge to exonerate friendship 9 activists 54 years after. She met the nine in 2011 and was inspired by their story. The proceedings, though symbolic, are a recognition of the critical role this sitin protest played in the history of the civil rights movement.
Jail, no bail idea stymied cities profiting from civil. South carolina court to overturn conviction of friendship 9. The ten students that marched to mccrorys, now called the friendship 9, decided to refuse to pay bail the first students to ever do this. The friendship nine, or rock hill nine, was a group of africanamerican men who went to jail. Hayes is the nephew of the man who convicted the nine in 1961. Ferguson s is for atlanta because of the southern christian leadership conference q is for speeches t is for white supremacies because of the temple bombing in atlanta plessy vs. James wells, 77, participant in a civil rights sitin. The orangeburg massacre refers to the shooting of protesters by south carolina highway patrol officers in orangeburg, south carolina, on the south carolina state university campus on the evening of february 8, 1968. Johnson advanced equality with major civil rights legislation. We cannot rewrite history but we can right history, hayes said. The civil rights movement the civil rights movement emerged after nearly a century of little progress for african americans following the end of slavery. The friendship 9 may not have been the first civil rights protestors in south carolina, but what makes their protest unique is the movement it created. Fiftyfour years ago, nine activists from rock hill, south carolina, went to jail for their roles in a civil rights protest. Commonlit text sets the civil rights movement free.
Sit ins and protests, mainly by college students, had been going. Thomas gaither at the time, he was a field secretary with the congress of racial equality and was the only one of the nine who was not a friendship student clarence graham died on march 25, 2016. Department of state, 2009 this book recounts how africanamerican slaves and their descendants struggled to win the civil rights enjoyed by other americans. Given the centrality of language to the movement, then, it is only natural that the civilrights narrative has inspired so many books, and some of those volumes form the literary version of monuments. These locations and exhibits explore the history of the civil rights movement in the united states from the 17th century to present day. The friendship nine became the first civil rights activists to serve prison sentences for nonviolent protests. The convictions of nine south carolina black men who integrated a whitesonly lunch counter during the height of the civil rights movement were tossed out wednesday during an. Civil rights steve crump has spent his career making documentaries because he says he realized that the voices of those in the civil rights era like the friendship nine are steadily going silent. One of south carolinas most seminal moments in civil rights history is now the subject of a musical debuting this weekend in columbia. The friendship 9, rock hill, sc, the civil rights movement. This february 1960 file photo shows people, who became known as the friendship nine, taking part in a civil rights sitin protest at the lunch counter in mccrorys in rock hill. Kids talk about the civil rights movement with the people who made it happen. Friendship 9 civil rights story made into musical the.
The approximately 200 protesters had previously demonstrated against racial segregation at a local bowling alley. The friendship nine and the sitin movement in rock hill. James wells, a member of a south carolina civil rights protest group known as the friendship nine whose sitin at a whitesonly lunch counter in 1961 was a. The group gained nationwide attention because they followed the 1960 nashville sitin strategy of jail, no bail, which lessened the huge financial burden civil rights groups were facing as the sitin movement spread across the south. Friendship nine to be cleared of civil rights sitin crimes. Here is a brief glimpse at these former students and what they are doing today, 40 years after this momentus year.
The picture book, child of the civil rights movement gives readers a childs view of what it was like living in the south during segregation and the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, they may never find their names in a history book, on a display. There are volumes of scholarly works on the civil rights movement, but this book is different. At that time, eight of the friendship nine were living. The story of the friendship 9, no fear for freedom, the musical is being presented by the renaissance foundation. In 1960, friendship college students march for civil rights outside of mccrorys five and dime drug store, where the friendship nine would later be arrested. This new jail no bail strategy by the friendship nine was soon adopted as the model strategy for the freedom rides of 1961. A guide to teaching and talking about the civil rights. African american heritage commission launches new green. Film tells of rock hill friendship nine lunch counter apology. Fiftyfour years after nine young black men became the first u. On friday, may 1, the story of the friendship 9, no. Mar 03, 2017 einstein enjoyed a 20year friendship with africanamerican civil rights leader and actor paul robeson far right.
The sitin movement takes a stand us civil rights trail. While many fine works on the civil rights movement already have been written, ranging from two voluminous pulitzer prizewinning biographies of martin luther king, jr. Author kimberly johnson wrote a childrens book about the men titled no fear for freedom, a huge part of how the nines case was reopened. The friendship nine was a group of african american men who staged a civil rights sitin at a rock hill lunch counter. Jan 28, 2015 on january 31, 1961, nine students from friendship college and a civil rights organizer walked through an angry crowd in downtown rock hill and attempted to stage a sitin demonstration at the. Jan 18, 2015 fiftyfour years after nine young black men became the first u. The national civil rights museum is a collection of historic museums and sites, including the lorraine motel, the site of dr. Fiftyfour years after they went to jail for an antisegregation protest in this former mill town, the africanamerican men who came to be known as the friendship nine returned to court wednesday dressed in their sober sunday best, as though a judge might sentence them again. Fiftyfour years after they were arrested for sitting at a whitesonly lunch counter, a group of africanamerican student protesters known as the friendship nine had their convictions overturned. Convictions overturned for famed civil rights protesters judge clears friendship nine of civil rightsera convictions jan. The friendship 9 has a huge heart for the new generation growing up in this post civil rights era.
Friendship nine to be cleared of civil rights sitin crimes reuters. Friendship nines convictions for lunch counter civil rights sitin vacated black students take part in a civil rights sitin at the whitesonly lunch counter at mccrorys in rock hill. Also shown are former vice president henry wallace left and lewis l. Nine refused to pay their fines and became the first civil rights sitin. After their graduation from the all black high school, namely emmett scott, some students would attend friendship junior college, which was a few blocks away. Johnson, encouraged the passage of the most comprehensive civilrights legislation to date, the civil rights act of 1964. Friendship nine to be cleared of civil rights sitin.
The orangeburg massacre occurred on the night of february 8, 1968, when a civil rights protest at south carolina state university sc state turned deadly. This book recounts the extraordinary and often bloody story of how tens of thousands of ordinary africanamericans overcame long odds to dethrone segregation, to exercise the right to vote and to improve their economic standing. One such peaceful protest approach gained steam in 1960 nonviolent sitins. The civilrights movement, led especially by martin luther king, jr. The story of the friendship 9 is a childrens book based on a moment in the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the south. Friendship 9 member discusses the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement was arguably the most important reform in american history. Trailblazers and torchbearers, 19411965 blacks in the diaspora crawford, vicki l. Explore the movement s champions and controversies from the 1950s to today. Hear from a pastor who guided the local protest, meet a childrens book author who wrote about the experience and learn how the city of rock.
Child of the civil rights movement by paula young shelton. Dub massey, right, and willie mcleod, left, pose at the counter where they were among the friendship nine who were jailed during 1960s civil rights sit. Friendship nines convictions for lunch counter civil. At the time, the sitin movement that had begun in 1960 at a. Women in the civil rights movement helps break the gender line that restricted women in civil rights history to background and backstage roles, and places them in front, behind, and in the middle of the southern movement that remade america it is an invaluable resource which helps set history straight. About a year had passed since the sitin at a segregated lunch counter in greensboro, north carolina, helped galvanize the nations civil rights movement, but change was slow to. Chafes book was one of the first to examine the civil rights movement from a bottom up grassroots perspective. Feb 16, 2018 the friendship nine was a group of african american men who staged a civil rights sitin at a rock hill lunch counter. The main characters name is paula and her family is full of civil rights activists, including her uncle martin luther king jr. Mar 01, 2014 after their graduation from the all black high school, namely emmett scott, some students would attend friendship junior college, which was a few blocks away. Five members of the friendship nine willie thomas massey from left, willie. They want to share their story with younger people to both encourage practicing civic duties as well as let them know how things use to be.
On wednesday morning, the eight surviving activists will leave the. List of books and articles about civil rights movement. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of elizabeth and hazel by david margolick. A black and white photograph taken outside of little rock central high school on september 4 of 1957, has seared the civil rights movement into our american consciousness. The friendship 9s release from prison marked the end of the sitin campaign but not the end of the civil rights movement in rock hill. Jan 28, 2015 in 1960, friendship college students march for civil rights outside of mccrorys five and dime drug store, where the friendship nine would later be arrested. This list includes fiction, nonfiction, and biographies, and can be used both during black history month and throughout the year.
What they did back in 1961 was a very big part of the civil rights movement. It is a story of dignified persistence and struggle, a story that produced great heroes and heroines. Thomas gaither, the core organizer, proposed the freedom ride in early 1961, which took place later that year see freedom riders end racial segregation in southern u. In the past 50 years, thousands of books have been written about the civil rights movement. Use these titles to introduce students to the history and important events of the civil rights movement including the march on washington, the montgomery bus boycott, and more. He places the protests that launched the 1960 sitin. The little rock nine they didnt start out being known as the little rock nine but now they are in americas history books together. In 31 lively interviews, children ask family members, friends, and neighbors about the part they played in the civil rights movement. How do different white characters respond to the pastors. Gaither did not attend the school and was a field organizer of the core organization. Jan 27, 2015 about a year had passed since the sitin at a segregated lunch counter in greensboro, north carolina, helped galvanize the nations civil rights movement, but change was slow to come to rock hill.
Kendi january 22, 2018 comments off on a more beautiful and terrible history. A historical novel about friendship and the civil rights movement i will have to approach my comments from several perspectives, so i ask the reader to bear with me. On january 31, 1961, nine students from friendship college and a civil rights organizer walked through an angry crowd in downtown rock hill and attempted to. Jan 28, 2015 fiftyfour years ago, nine activists from rock hill, south carolina, went to jail for their roles in a civil rights protest. Arrested for sitin, friendship 9 convictions to be overturned. Jan 28, 2015 a judge in south carolina has thrown out the convictions of the friendship nine, nine black men who integrated a whitesonly lunch counter in 1961, at the peak of the civil rights movement. First and foremost, it needs to be emphasized that this is a collaborative effort. Nine refused to pay their fines and became the first civil rights sitin protesters in the nation to serve jail time. Trailblazers and torchbearers, 19411965 blacks in the diaspora. Mar 07, 2011 in 1964, just three years after the friendship nine began the jail, no bail movement president lyndon b. Top 10 books for black history month books the guardian.
Arrested for sitin, friendship 9 convictions to be. Judge throws out friendship 9s civil rightsera conviction npr. The friendship nine john gaines, thomas gaither, clarence henry graham, w. The friendship nine, or rock hill nine, was a group of africanamerican men who went to jail after staging a sitin at a segregated mccrorys lunch counter in rock hill, south carolina in 1961. They became known as the friendship nine because eight of the nine men. Find out how their brave act in 1961 changed the course of the civil rights. Convictions of black protesters imprisoned for 1961 sitin. Famed civil rights protesters friendship nine to have. Three of the protestors, africanamerican males, were killed and. She retells the 1961 story of nine brave young men who stood up for justice and equality in rock hill, sc. Many of the icons of the civil rights movement will never be forgotten.
Trail of history friendship nine and rock hills civil rights history. A judge in south carolina has thrown out the convictions of the friendship nine, nine black men who integrated a whitesonly lunch counter in 1961, at the peak of the civil rights movement. Like other great stories of the civil rights movement such as the selma march and the montgomery bus boycott, the story of the friendship 9 demonstrates how personal courage can lead to social change. The convictions of nine south carolina black men who integrated a whitesonly lunch counter during the height of the civil rights. Author kimberly johnson, who published a childrens book about the friendship nine last year, began.
Judge throws out friendship 9s civil rightsera conviction. These nine students are unanimous in proclaiming the true heroes of the. Famed civil rights protesters to have arrest records erased. Johnson tells the story of the friendship 9 with her book no fear for freedom.
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