On Feb. 1, 1960, four A&T students walked to downtown Greensboro and "sat-in" at the whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth's Lunch Counter and refused to leave when they were denied service. The protest launched sit-ins across the South and added fire to the civil rights movement.
North Carolina A&T State University continues its legacy by keeping the memory of the four A&T students alive.
North Carolina A&T State University continues its legacy by keeping the memory of the four A&T students alive.
A&T students recognize whose shoulders they stand on. Having Aggie Pride is a lot more than wearing paraphernalia and cheering at football games.
"I feel a sense of pride when I hear about the A&T Four. They were four young men of our very own who made history and left a footprint on this nation," says sophomore sports science major Allen Jones.
This whole institution is built upon the courageous actions that those four young men exhibited 49 years ago.
A&T works hard to keep the tradition alive. In 2005, The Aggie Village dormitories on campus were named after the four men who stood up for justice (Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond) and they embody a monument built in honor of those men. There is also a 15-foot statue that pays homage to their bravery located directly outside of the Dudley building on campus. The statue was built in 2001.
A&T has annual celebrations in place to assist in commemorating that historic day. The students have an annual march from the Dudley building downtown to Woolworth's.
"I feel a sense of pride when I hear about the A&T Four. They were four young men of our very own who made history and left a footprint on this nation," says sophomore sports science major Allen Jones.
This whole institution is built upon the courageous actions that those four young men exhibited 49 years ago.
A&T works hard to keep the tradition alive. In 2005, The Aggie Village dormitories on campus were named after the four men who stood up for justice (Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond) and they embody a monument built in honor of those men. There is also a 15-foot statue that pays homage to their bravery located directly outside of the Dudley building on campus. The statue was built in 2001.
A&T has annual celebrations in place to assist in commemorating that historic day. The students have an annual march from the Dudley building downtown to Woolworth's.
The NC A&T Human Rights Medal is awarded to a deserving recipient every year. There is also an annual breakfast in place to celebrate the accomplishments of these A&T alumni.
Amongst all these yearly tributes to consecrate the anniversary of the sit-in, some students work to stay true to the legacy everyday.
"When I think about the A&T Four, it inspires me to work harder. It is reminder to be thankful for being at an institution like this and to try my best to be successful. I owe it to myself and my ancestors," says sophomore business administration major Brittany Pickett.
Sophomore electronic media and journalism major, Lauren Branch, says, "It makes me feel like I should stand up for my rights and what I believe in. I should also work hard for what I want in life."
The A&T Four have proven to be motivators for the student body. As the students work to brighten their future, some have not forgotten their past.
Amongst all these yearly tributes to consecrate the anniversary of the sit-in, some students work to stay true to the legacy everyday.
"When I think about the A&T Four, it inspires me to work harder. It is reminder to be thankful for being at an institution like this and to try my best to be successful. I owe it to myself and my ancestors," says sophomore business administration major Brittany Pickett.
Sophomore electronic media and journalism major, Lauren Branch, says, "It makes me feel like I should stand up for my rights and what I believe in. I should also work hard for what I want in life."
The A&T Four have proven to be motivators for the student body. As the students work to brighten their future, some have not forgotten their past.
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