Civil Rights

Civil Rights. Fredericksburg: Timeless.. , "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable.... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." , , Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., On July 2, 1960, African American citizens in Fredericksburg initiated direct action to effect social and political change. State governments had ignored the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that had struck down as constitutional the concept of "separate but equal" and a larger civil rights movement was gaining momentum. Protest marches, freedom rides, and voter registration drives caused a violent backlash in some parts of the South, but integrated local leadership helped Fredericksburg avoid similar confrontations., Fredericksburg's sit-ins occurred at W. T. Grant (directly across the street), at F.W. Woolworth (across the street to your left front), and at People's Service Drug Store (to your right). These protest's held firm and by late August, the affected businesses relented and integrated their lunch counters. These types of local activities were just one of many steps taken to awaken the conscience of a nation, whose 1776 creed had proclaimed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.", [Captions:] , During the summer of 1960, local students staged this sit-in at the segregated lunch counter at F. W. Woolworth. Community organizer Gladys Poles Todd remembered: "We did not merely sit-in to open counters to us. We helped to change attitudes, which in turn opened new opportunities and doors to us. We gained the courage to test the legality of many injustices.", Jerine Mercer picketing in front of W.T. Grant. View is looking south, down Caroline Street., Gaye Todd protesting the segregated lunch counter at W.T. Grant's. View is looking east, down William Street.