Arts District in Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Nashville Sit-Ins
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, January 30, 2021
1. Nashville Sit-ins Marker (Side A)
Inscription.
Nashville Sit-Ins. . On 13 February 1960, 124 students from Nashville's Historically Black Colleges and Universities walked into Woolworth's, Kress, and McClellan's, sat down at the lunch counters and asked to be served to no avail. The students also targeted Walgreens, W.T. Grant, as well as Harvey's and Cain-Sloan department stores. Their goal was to desegregate Nashville lunch counters. The student protesters experienced no violence until February 27. On that day at Woolworth's and McClellan's, white resisters threw the students from their seats, punched, kicked, and spat upon them. Nashville police only arrested the student protesters. Eighty-one students were arrested and charged with loitering and disorderly conduct. Two days later, the court fined each student $50. They took a principled stand, refused to pay the bail, and spent 33 1/3 days in jail., Due to the 19 April bombing of Attorney Z. Alexander Looby's home, a diverse crowd of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 people silently marched from Tennessee A and l State University to the courthouse, where Mayor Ben West met them at the steps. After an intense dialogue between Mayor West and student leader, the Rev. C. T. Vivian, Diane Nash stepped forward and asked the mayor if he “recommended that lunch counters be desegregated.” The mayor agreed and the next morning the Nashville Tennessean read “Integrate Counters” - Mayor. On May 10, 1960, Nashville became the first major city to begin desegregating its public facilities when six downtown stores, led by Harvey's and Cain-Sloan, opened their lunch counters to African Americans. The Nashville Student Protest Movement to desegregate all public facilities did not end until 1964.
On 13 February 1960, 124 students from Nashville's Historically Black Colleges and Universities walked into Woolworth's, Kress, and McClellan's, sat down at the lunch counters and asked to be served to no avail. The students also targeted Walgreens, W.T.
Grant, as well as Harvey's and Cain-Sloan department stores. Their goal was to desegregate Nashville lunch counters. The student protesters experienced no violence until February 27. On that day at Woolworth's and McClellan's, white resisters threw the students from their seats, punched, kicked, and spat upon them. Nashville police only arrested the student protesters. Eighty-one students were arrested and charged with loitering and disorderly conduct. Two days later, the court fined each student $50. They
took a principled stand, refused to pay the bail, and spent 33 1/3 days in jail.
Due to the 19 April bombing of Attorney Z. Alexander Looby's home, a diverse crowd of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 people silently marched from Tennessee A & l State University to the courthouse, where Mayor Ben West met them at the steps. After an
intense dialogue between Mayor West and student leader, the Rev. C. T. Vivian, Diane Nash stepped forward and asked the mayor if he “recommended that lunch counters be desegregated.” The mayor agreed and the next morning the Nashville Tennessean
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“Integrate Counters” - Mayor. On May 10, 1960, Nashville became the first major city to begin desegregating its public facilities when six downtown stores, led by Harvey's and Cain-Sloan, opened their lunch counters to African Americans. The Nashville Student Protest Movement to desegregate all public facilities did not end until 1964.
Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 3A 223.)
Location. 36° 9.834′ N, 86° 46.843′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County. It is in the Arts District. Marker is on 5th Avenue North north of Church Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 223 Rep John Lewis Way North, Nashville TN 37219, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Sit-ins, Nashville. Tennessee Encyclopedia entry on the movement. (Submitted on January 31, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, January 30, 2021
3. Nashville Sit-ins Marker
Looking south on 5th Avenue North.
Photographed By New York World-Telegram, 1960
4. Students sit at a lunch counter as part of the Nashville Sit-in movement.
Courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Photographed By Shane Oliver, December 4, 2021
5. Woolworth on 5th Restaurant & Theater
Some of the first lunch counter sit-ins of the Civil Rights movement in Nashville were held here in the 1960s.
As of December 2021, the building is currently being renovated with plans to reopen it as a theater in mid-2022.
Photographed By Lou Donkle
6. Nashville Sit-Ins Marker
The Woolworth store is now open as a theater. This photo shows the new sign on the marquee.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 31, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 750 times since then and 101 times this year. Last updated on April 4, 2023, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 31, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 5. submitted on December 26, 2021, by Shane Oliver of Richmond, Virginia. 6. submitted on April 4, 2023, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.