65 years later, Greensboro sit-in pioneer Joseph McNeil reflects on historic civil rights protest
Sixty-five years ago, Joseph McNeil and three fellow college students from North Carolina A&T took a stand against segregation by simply sitting down.
On February 1, 1960, McNeil — along with Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond and Franklin McCain, who were known as the “Greensboro Four”— sat at a Whites-only Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The peaceful sit-in, which lasted more than five months, sparked a wave of similar protests across the South and became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.
McNeil recently returned to the site of the historic demonstration, now a museum and national landmark, to reflect on the anniversary of their courageous act.
“I had to tell my mother that I might be taking on something very difficult and that I might be going to jail,” McNeil recalled. “And she says, ‘What? What are you doing going to jail?'”
At just 17 years old and a freshman in college, McNeil was aware of the risks, yet he and his friends remained committed in their mission. The Greensboro Four studied nonviolent tactics at their local NAACP chapter.
McNeil said there were “intense feelings of some degree of fear,” felt from from inside the now-preserved Woolworth’s, which has been transformed into the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. “But it wasn’t really fear, because we came back day after day after day.”
What started as four students quickly grew into a mass movement.
“Well, the reality was that on day three, we had grown from four to 16 to the beginning of 100-plus students,” McNeil said.
McNeil said the deliberate decision to keep the movement student-led.
“We didn’t like adults. We figured they’d get in the way,” he said.
Now 82 years old, McNeil is battling advanced Parkinson’s disease, which makes speech challenging. Despite his condition, his recollections of those pivotal days remain sharp. His son, Joseph McNeil Jr., joined him at the museum event, helping him gather his thoughts as he revisited the legacy of a movement that reshaped American history.
How the Greensboro Four helped push civil rights forward
The Greensboro sit-in helped ignite a nationwide push for civil rights, leading to lasting changes in American society. By year’s end, 75,000 students had joined, and 3,600 were arrested.
Today, McNeil hopes younger generations will learn from the past and continue advocating for equality.
“The reality is, when people stand together, we can make a difference,” he said.
The original Woolworth’s lunch counter remains a symbol of resilience, reminding visitors of bravery exhibited by those who participated in sit-ins.
“I think people who live here, they’re very proud of the fact that we have achieved those milestones,” said John Swaine, chief executive officer of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.
He noted that younger generations are still deeply engaged in social justice movements.
“The younger generation, with the killing of George Floyd, turned out in droves,” Swaine said. “We’re teaching young students that through social disobedience, direct action, collaboration, you can get together and solve some of these vexing issues.”
After the sit-ins, McNeil joined the U.S. Air Force reserves, rising to the rank of two-star major general.
When asked why he chose to serve despite the country’s mistreatment of African Americans, McNeil responded, “I cared enough to say I can stand tall, because I’ve got the best you’ve thrown at me.”
He later joined the Federal Aviation Administration, spearheading diversity initiatives there and in the Air Force—high achievements that stemmed from his determination to sit down in 1960.
Reflecting on his legacy, McNeil remains humble.
“Not really self-serving. People knew these risks exist. Young people were aware of this. But it wasn’t about us so much as what we grew to develop.”
