Downtown in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
F.W. Woolworth Co. Building
In 1960, this building was the F.W. Woolworth Co.’s 5 & 10 cent store and had a "whites only" lunch counter. On February 10, 1960, African-American college students from Hampton Institute sat at the lunch counter in an act of civil disobedience. Hampton thus became the first city in Virginia to experience a sit-in. By April, sit-ins had reached every Southern state and involved approximately 50,000 students.
This historic building was saved from demolition by Robert E. and Susan R. Long. The building was renovated for modern usage in 1984.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 10, 1960.
Location. 37° 1.546′ N, 76° 20.682′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Downtown. Marker is on West Queens Way just west of Kings Way, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 W Queens Way, Hampton VA 23669, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Southwest Corner (within shouting distance of this marker); King and Queen Streets (within shouting distance of this marker); The Northeast Corner
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Credits. This page was last revised on March 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 323 times since then and 50 times this year. Last updated on March 17, 2023, by James Dean of Chesterfield, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 8, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
