by Nick Muccio

Created on: March 25, 2010

The Civil Rights Movement was a period of change and recognition. Colored people stood for their rights in effort to become equal. Colored people took abuse and suffered from hatred acts of non-colored people. They weren’t separate from everyone else. They stood out where ever they went. Treated so poorly to the point where they weren’t allowed in the same area of non-colored people, for instance restaurants and public transportation.

“The effect is overwhelming and unrelenting, mixing image and spare text, recounting the importance of black churches and the scope of the attacks on them, the segregation of hospitals and medical care, the baleful effects of separate and unequal education”-The NY Times

The Civil Rights Movement was a revolution started by many strong believers of equality. Today museums are dedicated strictly to this revolution, a time where equality was battled for and conquered.  North Carolina 50 years ago was racially segregated. There were company policies that stated they were “to abide by local custom”, and in this case that meant no colored people were to be helped in a secluded restaurant. Until four brave students from the all-black Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina came in and sat at the counter and ordered.

The students were ignored when they tried to order. The four of them stood there in mute protest and continued to show at the restaurant day after day. They started a civil rights moment and other colored people stood for their rights and protested the restaurant as well. Over time this one action led to “sit-ins” throughout 13 states and 55 cities. Today the restaurant still stands fully intact after its closure in 1993, which has developed into a museum of essence and equality.
            This article is a firsthand account of what the era of segregation was like. Colored people were disliked and unequal. Through bravery and strength colored people fought back to gain equality. The Civil Rights Movement was a powerful revolution that changed America. This was a major turning point in America where men were fully equal, a time where race no longer made a difference. The four students involved in this one sit-in changed history, to be able to cause a spark in a successful revolution. Today they are remembered as heroes and colored people appreciate their strong feelings of equality. The emotions in this article allow the read to understand and feel what it was like during this era.

“Coca-Cola machine from this era (the date is not specified): one side of the machine was meant to serve whites, and the others blacks. One side advertises soda for 5 cents, the other 10, though it is not clear who was meant to get the better bargain.” -The NY Times

            The segregation was so extreme and in today’s society seems so farfetched. Today colored people work in the same building as whites and work together to better the world. Our president has become the first African American to be elected, another strong movement for colored people. In today’s society we are all equal.

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