Harleston Village in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Civil Rights Sit-Ins

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 18, 2026

1. Civil Rights Sit-Ins Marker

Inscription.
On April 1, 1960, the lunch counter at this 1931 Art Deco style building owned by S.H. Kress & Co. and those at the Woolworth's and W.T. Grant's stores on King Street were the targets of the city's first civil rights “sit-in." Black students from Burke High School were denied service but refused to leave. Arrested for trespassing, they were later convicted and fined. This youth-led protest was the beginning of a broader civil rights movement in Charleston.

Erected 2013 by Preservation Society of Charleston.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Civil Rights. A significant historical date for this entry is April 1, 1960.

Location. 32° 46.961′ N, 79° 56.057′ W. Marker is in Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. It is in Harleston Village. It is on King Street south of Society Stret, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 281 King St, Charleston SC 29401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Historic Charleston

and in the Lowcountry.

It is also in the

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: G.F. "Moonie" Brown & Brown's Parkway (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (about 500 feet away); St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (about 500 feet away); Site of the First Public Lending Library in the American Colonies (about 500 feet away); President's House (about 700 feet away); Affra Harleston Coming (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charleston.

Kress Building and Civil Rights Sit-Ins Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 18, 2026

2. Kress Building and Civil Rights Sit-Ins Marker

Marker is on the far left front facade.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 20, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.