On Feb. 1, 1960 four Black freshmen at North Carolina A&T State University, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair, Jr., and David Richmond, took seats at the segregated lunch counter of F. W. Woolworth's in Greensboro, N.C. A&T Four: A Closer Look | Digital Collections | North Carolina Today Khazan is an oral historian, oracle, Mass-Star Story teller and lecturer. Part of the original counter is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Blair, Richmond, McCain and McNeil planned their protest carefully, and enlisted the help of a local white businessman, Ralph Johns, to put their plan into action. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Another critical part of the protest was looping in the media. Ezell Blair, Jr. (later Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond organized the sit-in. In three days, their numbers had swelled to 300. Some of the first sit-ins during the civil rights movementwere organized by history teacher Clara Luper and the NAACP Youth Council in Oklahoma City in1958. Sit-in demonstrations by Black college students grew at the Woolworth's in Greensboro and other local stores, February 6, 1960. Word quickly spread about the Greensboro sit-in, and both North Carolina A&T and Bennett College students took part in the sit-in the next day. The movement was about simple dignity, respect, access, equal opportunity, and most importantly the legal and constitutional concerns., READ MORE:8 Steps That Paved the Way to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today In HistoryRobert C. Maynard bought the Oakland Tribune on this date April 30, 1983. In late 1959, the Greensboro Four participated in NAACP meetings at Bennett College, where they collaborated with the women students known as the Bennett Belles on a plan. Recommended Citation. In 1968, he joined the Islamic Center of New England and changed his name to Jibreel Khazan. Not only were lunch counters across the country integrated one by one, a student movement was galvanized. His life was threatened, so he moved to a mountain community, according to Carolina Theatre. Ezell A. Blair, Jr. (1941- ), referred to as Izell Blair inWho Speaks for the Negro?, is an American civil rights activist. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. How the Greensboro Four Sit-In Sparked a Movement - History [4] Shortly before his death, McCain was interviewed by his granddaughter, Taylor, who asked him to define freedom. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 1942 sit-in at the Jack Spratt Coffee House, Follow the Freedom Riders' Journey Against Segregation, Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, 1,400 students showed up to the Greensboro Woolworth, Police arrested 41 students for trespassing, Greensboro Woolworth lunch counter was finally integrated, integrating the cafeteria at Richs Department Store, 8 Steps That Paved the Way to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, https://www.history.com/news/greensboro-four-sit-in-civil-rights, How the Greensboro Four Sit-In Sparked a Movement. The reaction was ugly in the short-term, but in the long-term the protests spread and made real change. Ezell Blair Jr. - Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core They told him to do what he must and to carry himself with dignity and grace. Blair then moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he became a member of the New England Islamic Center in 1968 and took on his present name of Jibreel Khazan. On February 1, 1960, four college students - Ezell Blair, Jr. (now Jibreel Khazan), David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil - sat read more. In addition, the four men each have residence halls named for them on the university campus. The Greensboro sit-in. They had a strong Black community in Greensboro that was steeped in the struggle and willing to support young people by way of moral and financial support, says Prairie View A&M University History Professor Will Guzmn. Ezell Blair, Sr. and his wife, Corene, were the parents of Jibreel Khazan, (Ezell A. Blair Jr.) one of the four North Carolina A&T State University students who participated in the first sit-in at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro on February 1, 1960. The Greensboro sit-in wasnt a random act of rebellion, but the result of months of planning. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four - PBS SNCC was pivotal in pushing the Rev. A Greensboro native, born in the city on October 18, 1941, Blair graduated from Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1991, Khazan received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree from North Carolina A&T State University. 20072023 Blackpast.org. The protests and the subsequent events were major milestones in the Civil Rights Movement. Description. In 1991, Khazan received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree from North Carolina A&T State University. After nearly a week of protests, approximately 1,400 students showed up to the Greensboro Woolworth to demonstrate. In 1965, he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he worked as a teacher and counselor for the developmentally challenged. He also has worked with the AFL/CIO Trade Council in Boston, the Opportunities Industrialization Center, and at the Rodman Job Corps Center. In 1963, Khazan graduated from A&T College with a Bachelor's degree in sociology and Social Studies. The Greensboro sit-in was a major moment in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1959, Khazan graduated from James B. Dudley High School, and entered the A&T College of North Carolina. Jibreel Khazan (born Ezell Alexander Blair Jr.; October 18, 1941) is a civil rights activist who is best known as a member of the Greensboro Four, a group of African American college students who, on February 1, 1960, sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina challenging the store's policy of denying service to non-white customers. By Birth Year | By Birth Month | By Death Year | By Death Month | Random, Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright. [5] His 1964 interview describes the Greensboro sit-ins in Chapter 5 of Who Speaks for the Negro? Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Google says they were also influenced by the techniques of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A look at one of the defining social movements in U.S. history, told through the personal stories of men, women and children who lived through it. Woolworth. [3] In 1963, Khazan graduated from A&T College with a Bachelor's degree in sociology and Social Studies. They were influenced by the nonviolent protest techniques of Mahatma Gandhi. Greensboro Sit-In: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com The white waiter refused and suggested they order a take-out meal from the "stand-up" counter. We even had people who saw the sit-ins that were taking place at the lunch counter drive from other states to come down here, Swaine says. Powered by. The Greensboro Fours efforts inspired a sit-in movement that eventually spread to 55 cities in 13 states. ", North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, "FebruaryOne: The Story of the Greensboro Four", "50 years later, Greensboro Four get Smithsonian award for civil rights actions", "New Bedford Must Lift Up Celebration of Dr. Jibreel Khazan With a Statue", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ezell_Blair_Jr.&oldid=1143803857, This page was last edited on 10 March 2023, at 00:30. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Education - Historically Black Colleges (HBCU), Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. according to the Civil Rights Digital Library. They also took inspiration from civil rights causes of years earlier, including the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till and the Montgomery bus boycott. This monument provides a larger-than-life portrayal of Jibreel Khazan (then known as Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond, four NC A&T students who became known as the "Greensboro Four" for their sit-in at Woolworth's department store in 1960. The students came to be called the Greensboro Four. She is the author of Toni Morrison's Spiritual Vision and other books. The figures are depicted walking out of Woolworth's . and received a B.S. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. He continued his education at Massachusetts University and later at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied voice.[7]. By the spring of 1960 the sit-in movement spread to 54 cities in nine states in the South. Each of the participants in the sit-in had different catalysts, but it is clear that the four men had a close friendship that mutually reinforced their desire to act. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. None of it deterred the protesters. They were all students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro. He was a student government leader. As he had been labeled a "troublemaker" for his role in the Greensboro Sit-Ins, life in Greensboro became difficult for Khazan. Image: Original caption: 2/1/1960 - Greensboro, NC: The participants in the first lunch counter sit-in are shown on the street after leaving the Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth's by a side exit. He was captivated as King addressed the audience in attendance. He then went into computer sales and worked as a stockbroker and commercial banker. The four North Carolina A & T students are (L-R): David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, Jr., and Joseph McNeil. He was 49 years old when he died in 1990 and received a posthumous honorary doctorate degree from At&T State University. They were asked to leave. Ezell Blair Jr. was the son of a teacher who received his B.S. Joseph Alfred McNeil (born March 25, 1942) is a retired major general in the United States Air Force who is best known for being a member of the Greensboro Four; a group of African American college students who, on February 1, 1960, sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina challenging the store's The Greensboro sit-in was a major moment in the American civil rights movement when young African-American students staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworths lunch counter in North Carolina. As of 2018 Ezell Blair is 76 years years old. But they did not move. Police arrived on the scene but were unable to take action due to the lack of provocation. See MoreSee Less, Today In HistoryEdward Kennedy Duke Ellington, the legendary composer and bandleader, was born in Washington, DC, on April 29, 1899. Notes about review of interview transcripts with Carmichael, Ezell Blair, Lucy Thornton, and Jean Wheeler. They were taking place in a lot of places before Greensboro., READ MORE: Follow the Freedom Riders' Journey Against Segregation. He participated in Freedom Rides, voter registration drives, and other forms of nonviolent direct action to challenge segregation and promote equality and justice for all. "[5], In 1959, Khazan graduated from James B. Dudley High School, and entered the A&T College of North Carolina. McCain's death left Ezell Blair (now Jibreel Khazan) and Joseph McNeil as the two surviving members of the Greensboro Four. The sit-in movement soon spread to college towns throughout the South. [3][8] Today Khazan is an oral historian, oracle, Mass-Star Story teller and lecturer. [6], The sit-in demonstrations were just the beginning of Khazan's community involvement. In addition to desegregating dining establishments, the sit-ins led to the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Raleigh. He had been a high school track star and was born in Greensboro. [7] In 2002, North Carolina A&T commissioned a statue to be sculpted honoring Khazan, along with the three other members of the A&T four: Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond. Ezell Blair Wiki, Biography, Net Worth, Age, Family, Facts and More Their names were Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil. As the week unfolded, dozens of young people, including students from the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, flocked to lunch counters and asked to be served. The four men who were denied service at a Woolworth store in Greensboro, North Carolina, pose in front of the store on February 1, 1990. Together they have three children. According to Google, hundreds of other protesters soon joined them, but the protesters faced a counter movement that included racial slurs being hurled in their direction and even were spit on and had food thrown on them. Ezell A. Blair, Jr. - Facts, Bio, Favorites, Info, Family 2021 Original materials provided by the University of Kentucky and Yale University libraries and digitized with the permission of the Warren estate. Khazan received his early education from Dudley High School, where his father taught. Ezell Blair Jr. was the son of a teacher who received his B.S. What sparked the Greensboro Four, as the students were known, to take such courageous action? The students had received guidance from mentor activists and collaborated with students from Greensboro's all-women's Bennett College. Khazan also recalls an American Civics teacher, Mrs. McCullough, who told her class Were preparing you for the day when you will have equal rights., He was also influenced by Martin Luther King Jr. He married the former Lorraine France George of New Bedford. Greensboro Four | NCpedia February One: The Story of the Greensboro Sit-In | C-SPAN.org Khazan received his early education from Dudley High School, where his father taught. He never strayed very far from the example of his parents, who were active in the civil rights movement, or the lessons of the people he had known as a child growing up in the south. By February 5, some 300 students had joined the protest at Woolworths, paralyzing the lunch counter and other local businesses. See MoreSee Less, Neighborhood children greet Ms. Gibson upon her return to Harlem after winning Wimbledon in 1957 Franklin McCain - Wikipedia Khazan is married to the former Lorraine France George of New Bedford. Today, he is remembered as a hero of the Civil Rights Movement and a symbol of the power of nonviolent resistance to bring about change. Its success led to a wider sit-in movement, organized primarily by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), that spread throughout the South. 0. Joseph McNeil earned a degree in engineering physics in 1963 and joined the U.S. Air Force, where he became a captain. He later moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he changed his name to Jibreel Khazan. Blair was president of the junior class, the student government association, the campus NAACP and the Greensboro Congress of Racial Equality. Martin Luther King Jr. to join them in integrating the cafeteria at Richs Department Store in Atlanta in 1960, Guzmn says. Some content (or its descriptions) found on this site may be harmful and difficult to view. On Feb. 1, 1960, freshmen David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and Ezell Blair Jr. (now Jibreel Khazan) sat at F.W. It's honored with a Google Doodle. In 2002, North Carolina A&T commissioned a statue to be sculpted honoring Khazan, along with the three other members of the A&T four: Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond. Jibreel Khazan (previously Ezell Blair, Jr). Blair, along with Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, and David Richmond, decided to stage the sit-in protest as a way of challenging the racial segregation that was prevalent in their community. He was elected president of the junior class, and would later become president of the school's student government association, the campus NAACP and the Greensboro Congress for Racial Equality. For starters, according to History.com, they were upset about the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, who was slain after being accused of whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. He lives in New York. Ezell was born on October 18, 1941 in Greensboro, North Carolina.. Ezell is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a Activist. SNCC worked alongside the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to push passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and would later mount an organized resistance to the Vietnam War. Jibreel Khazan (born Ezell Alexander Blair Jr.; October 18, 1941) is a civil rights activist who is best known as a member of the Greensboro Four, a group of African American college students who, on February 1, 1960, sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina challenging the store's policy of denying service to non-white customers. He attended law school at Howard University for almost a year before a variety of maladies forced him out. After graduating from A&T in 1963, Blair encountered difficulties finding a job in his native Greensboro. In 1965, he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he worked as a teacher and counselor for the developmentally challenged. The Greensboro Four, as they came to be known, acted to challenge the lunch counters refusal to serve African Americans. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, "Photo of Jibreel Khazan Receiving Award (Ezell Blair, Jr.)" (1961). Ezell Blair is a member of famous Activist list. His name is now Jibreel Khazan. He majored in business administration and accounting and became a counselor-coordinator for the CETA program in Greensboro. [10] On October 12, 2021, Khazan was honored with the renaming of a city park in the west end of New Bedford, MA. They mean that young people are going to be one of the major driving forces in terms of how the civil rights movement is going to unfold., Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: Sitting in For Civil Rights. The Greensboro Four stayed put until the store closed, then returned the next day with more students from local colleges. The A&T Four: February 1st, 1960 He had to move to Massachusetts because the publicity made it. Greensboro Sit-In: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. The protests and the subsequent events were major milestones in the Civil Rights Movement. King's words had made a huge impact with Khazan, so much so that he later remarked that "he could feel his heart palpitating" and that the words of King "brought tears to his eyes. One of the original Greensboro Four who took part in the Woolworth sit-ins. See MoreSee Less. He worked as a janitor and battled many demons, sad that he couldnt improve the world more than he had. Google July 1, 2020. After the Greensboro sit-ins, Blair became a prominent civil rights activist and organizer. Birthday: October 18, 1941 How Old - Age: 81 Recently Passed Away Celebrities and Famous People. The Greensboro Four wanted their protest to get recognition, so before heading to Woolworths on February 1, they arranged for Ralph Johns, a white businessman and activist, to alert the press about their plans. READ MORE: Civil Rights Movement: A Timeline. In 1960, 4 young men sat at the Woolworth lunch counter in downtown
