On February 1, 1960, four Black college freshmen, Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. and David Richmond, sat down at a "whites-only" Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C. and politely asked for service.

okaywitheasypay · ‎03-27-2011

@luvmybeetle @ @KathyM23 I LOVED the phosphates especially cherry sold in those '5 and dimes'. We lived in the boonies when I was in grade school ,but would go to larger neighboring towns that had those stores. My mother liked the chocolate cokes--she did not have to worry about me asking for a drink of those.

I believe it was a Woolworth's that had a beef Manhattan=toast with a slice of roast beef mashed potatoes smothered with gravy. I thought that was so fancy.

I also remember the intoxicating aroma of the candy counter when entering the stores = fudge, carmel covered marshmallows, and fresh roasted nuts.

I enjoyed the pet areas. Parakeets , small turtles, and colored chicks around Easter (outlawed now-rightfully so).

I remember my Aunt allowed myself and her children to pick out turtles and accesories . The poor little creatures did not stand a chance under our spurious care.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

Frequently ..... grilled cheese - and always my fave - lemon meringue pie!

No matter where I worked - there was always one nearby. Great for quick lunch.

KarenK · ‎11-13-2010

What a great subject to bring up! Woolworths was my first employer and I sold balloons using a mechanical cash register. The balloons were 29 cents each and to this day, I can tell you the multiples of 29 - 29, 58, 87, 116 'cause I had to punch in those numbers individually rather than have them calculated. Lots of balloons. But look at those prices - a whole hamburger platter for 55 cents. Good memories.

spiderw · ‎06-14-2010

I loved Woolworths' and miss that store a lot. Aside from the variety of items available in the store, I always enjoyed eating there. Their sandwiches and pies were delicious and sitting at the long counter on stools so much fun!!!!! My favorite Woolworth's was located near Macy's at Manhattan, great memories of my shopping and eating times there!!!!!

LavernLuvsShoes · ‎07-13-2021

@PickyPicky3 wrote:
... See the sign For Whites Only?

So my recollections of eating at Woolworth's are not what might have been expected here.

Ditto!

It took a while before "we" were able to sit and eat at the lunch counter like other human beings.

Ronettes · ‎12-13-2022

I never ate at Woolworth's (miss that store!), but I ate at McCrory's, same type of store, and worked there as well when I was a kid!

Loved both stores, and miss them both, there is NOTHING like them at all anymore, just junk like Walmart.

The Good Old Days......

Ronettes · ‎12-13-2022

@LavernLuvsShoes wrote:
@PickyPicky3 wrote:
... See the sign For Whites Only?

So my recollections of eating at Woolworth's are not what might have been expected here.

Ditto!

It took a while before "we" were able to sit and eat at the lunch counter like other human beings.

I recall when I was a kid, there was a 'Beautiful Child Contest' in the next town, my Mum took my two baby brothers to enter. There were lots of children there.

Well it turned out that two little black boys won the contest, and the crowd started grumbling as I remember.

A man was getting loud, and my Grandmother stood up and said, 'The two most beautiful children did win!' and that was the end of the grumbling. (We are white)

Anyway, today in our little town we seem to be getting 'bullied' or pushed about by non-Americans, illegals, however one wants to put it, to a very uncomfortable degree. So now Americans in general are being mistreated, times may change but mistreatment does not.

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

I must admit that I thought of the Greensboro Four when I read the title of this post. For reference:

The Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest that started in 1960, when young African American students staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, and refused to leave after being denied service. The sit-in movement soon spread to college towns throughout the South. Though many of the protesters were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace, their actions made an immediate and lasting impact, forcing Woolworth’s and other establishments to change their segregationist policies.

Greensboro Sit-In