60th Anniversary Celebration

WSSU and WFU Commemorate Civil Rights Action

By Wake Forest University

February 25^th, 2020

Leading the Way

On February 23, 1960, eleven students from Winston-Salem Teachers College, a historically black state school, and ten students from the private, all-white Wake Forest College met in downtown Winston-Salem for a sit-in protest at a local lunch counter, just weeks after the first such protest. The non-violent protests continued every day. Within months, the city's lunch counters were desegregated.

On February 23, 2020, students from Winston-Salem State University and Wake Forest University joined together to commemorate the 60th anniversary of that day.

The WSSU Singing Rams lead a procession through downtown Winston-Salem to the site of the first sit-in. WFU administrator Donovan Livington, right, walks with them.

Honoring the History

Chancellor Elwood Robinson of Winston-Salem State University and President Nathan O. Hatch of Wake Forest University spoke, and Wake Forest School of Divinity Dean Jonathan Walton give a rousing keynote address. One of the original protestors, Victor Johnson, Jr., a longtime local educator and school board member, was honored with a proclamation.

Lift Every Voice

The Singing Rams from Winston-Salem State performed "Sing Out! March On!" by Joshuah Campbell, then led the procession to the sit-in site.

On the Spot

The students and other marchers gathered at the site of the sit-in protest in downtown Winston-Salem. Twenty-one stools were set up to recognize the students who took part in the sit-in more than half a century ago. Chancellor Robinson and President Hatch read the names of each participant, bells were rung, and student representing them took a seat on a stool. Victor Johnson, Jr., represented himself.

Naming Ceremony

The roll was called: Royal Joe Abbitt, Donald F. Bailey, Donald C. Bradley, Joseph Brown Chandler, Jr., William Andrew Bright, Linda G. Cohen, Lafayette A. Cook, Jr., Margaret Ann Dutton, Jefferson Davis Diggs III, Linda Evelyn Guy, Everett Dudley, Anthony Wayland Johnson, Bruce Gaither, Jr., William Penn Haney Stevens, Algemenia Giles, Paul Virgil Watson, Ulysses Grant Greene, George Williamson, Victor Johnson, Jr., Jerry B. Wilson, Mary Delores Reeves.