Richmond 34

Richmond 34. February 1960. On February 20, 1960, hundreds of Virginia Union University (VUU) students marched to the Broad Street shopping district and sat at "whites only" lunch counters, requesting service. They were refused but remained seated until the counters closed., On February 22, VUU students marched to Thalhimers Department Store, where 34 students - 11 women and 23 men - entered the store. Some sat at the lunch counter while others sat in the fine dining room. When they refused to leave, they were arrested for trespassing. This marked one of the first mass arrests of the Civil Rights Movement, and the students became known as the "Richmond 34.", Their arrest sparked the Campaign for Human Dignity, which organized boycotts and picketed segregated businesses. Within a year, Thalhimers integrated its store and became an early advocate for nonviolent retail integration in Richmond. , Sit-ins were a key strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience that helped dismantle segregation and contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed into law on July 2, 1964, mandating desegregation in public accommodations. , This installation is dedicated to the Richmond 34 for their bravery and to Thalhimers for their role in integration. , Dedicated by Richmond Flying Squirrels , Fabricated by Wellcraft Manufacturing , Designed by Sir James L. Thornhill, Art Director , Present Date: March 19, 2026