The Greensboro Woolworth Sit-ins Through the Bill Chafe Oral History Collection

Post contributed by Ani Karagianis, Centennial Archivist, Duke University Archives.

[A small exhibit related to this blog post can be viewed near the Perkins Library service desk for the next month.]

Recently, the Rubenstein Library put up a small exhibit about the Greensboro Woolworth Sit-ins in February 1960. Since I participated in the creation of the exhibit, naturally, I wanted to look more into the early sit-ins and other movements of the early 1960s. It is here where I can say that there is a Duke angle to some subsequent events after the sit-ins. Duke angle #1: Professor William Chafe of the history department. Bill Chafe, who wrote a great book that I was able to devour during the holidays (Civilities and Civil Rights) interviewed three of the four members of the Greensboro Four: Ezell Blair Jr. (known as Jibreel Khazan), Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond. Rather than having me write about their interviews and their experiences of the sit-in, I have provided the readers with some snapshots of them speaking about their experiences in Greensboro, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the Woolworth sit-ins. These oral histories can be found in box two of the William Chafe Oral History collection.

Some good soundbites courtesy of these interviews:

Jibreel Khazan (labeled as “Jabriel Kajan”, 1974, speaking about his youth NAACP council and providing a little background of the idea behind the protest:

Joseph McNeill, 1978, reflecting on the movement the role of the Greensboro community:

David Richmond, 1972, providing a breakdown of the day’s plans: