Reps. Adams, Davis, Foushee, Ross Introduce Resolution Honoring Greensboro Four
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Dean of the North Carolina Democratic Congressional Delegation, introduced a resolution recognizing the Greensboro Four for their contributions to American History. Fellow North Carolina representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), Don Davis (NC-01) and Valerie Foushee (NC-04) joined as original cosponsors of the resolution.
“For six months these four students sat at the counter, waiting to be served, and were denied service because of the color of their skin,” said Congresswoman Adams (NC-12). “The determination of the Greensboro Four, and Bennett women who helped them organize, inspired other student activists around the country, creating a movement that paved the way for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I am proud to introduce this legislation today honoring these activists and their contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.”
“Especially at this perilous moment for our country and for our democracy, it is imperative that we remember the courage of previous generations of Americans who stood against oppression and injustice, often at great personal cost,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). "The Greensboro Four were inspiring trailblazers whose courage and sacrifice should never be forgotten. They helped to make America a more fair, just, and equal country. This month and every month, we have a powerful responsibility to highlight their contributions and teach our children about their fight for justice in North Carolina. I’m proud to cosponsor this resolution to honor their legacy.”
“Sixty-five years ago, four young Black NC A&T students, known as the Greensboro Four, bravely challenged segregation and the racial injustices of the Jim Crow South through a historic and peaceful resistance that went on to inspire countless others during the Civil Rights Movement,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04). “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Adams, Congressman Davis, and Congresswoman Ross in reintroducing a resolution to honor their courageous actions that brought us one step closer to equality and ignited a nationwide movement that forever changed our country.”
“It is essential to recognize the extraordinary legacy and impact that North Carolina has had in advancing civil rights both in our nation and worldwide,” said Congressman Don Davis (NC-01). “The Greensboro Four were pioneers in the fight for justice and equality, and their contributions continue to inspire us."
The resolution was also cosponsored by Reps. Shontel Brown, Glenn Ivey, Hank Johnson, Rashida Tlaib, Valerie Foushee, Eleanor Holmes-Norton, Dan Goldman, Al Green, Troy Carter, Marc Veasey, LaMonica McIver, and Nikema Williams.
For full text of the resolution, click here.
Background:
The Greensboro Four sit-in protest took place on February 1, 1960.
The Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest that commenced when four young Black students staged, with help from female students that attended Bennett College, a sit-in at the segregated lunch counter of F.W. Woolworth Department Store in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Greensboro Four: Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil were students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, now known as North Carolina A&T State University.
Nationwide participation in this new movement included over 700,000 people, including students, clergymen and united citizens, both Black and white.
On July 26, 1960, the Woolworth Lunch Counter was finally integrated.
The Woolworth's in downtown Greensboro was later reopened as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.
The Greensboro Four: Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil were students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, now known as North Carolina A&T State University.
Nationwide participation in this new movement included over 700,000 people, including students, clergymen and united citizens, both Black and white.
On July 26, 1960, the Woolworth Lunch Counter was finally integrated.
The Woolworth's in downtown Greensboro was later reopened as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.
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Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. represents North Carolina's 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County) and serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Education & Workforce, where she serves as ranking member of the Higher Education and Workforce Development (HEWD) Subcommittee.