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“What Would You Have Done?”

Take a minute and put yourself in the shoes of the four young men pictured here. These young men took a stand and decided that they were going to make a difference, demand equal treatment, and set the stage for the civil rights movement. These four young African Americans, Ezell Blair (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond did something that not many people would have done back in 1960’s or even venture out and do today. What the young men pictured here did, not only affected them as people, but also affected African Americans then and African Americans to come. If you do not know the story of the Greensboro Sit-Ins, I will give you the basics. The four young men, Ezell Blair (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond noticed the indifference and treatment when shopping in the local F.W. Woolworth. The students noticed that they were free to spend their green money at the store but were not able to spend their green money because of their black skin at the lunch counter. After discussing the indifference and wrongful treatment of African Americans, the students decided to do something about what they felt was wrong. The students decided to protest the store’s decision to not serve African Americans by sitting in at their lunch counter and not moving until they were served. Once making the decision on what would be done the students were funded by a local African American store manger to go in and buy school supplies then sit at the lunch counter. The students had a plan that would lead to change, and decided to work that plan to secure the future of African Americans.

The reason for this article is not to give you a historical background, but to make you look within yourself and answer this question, “What would you have done?” In talking about the many things that happened to protesters and those who participated in the sit-ins, many say that they do not think they could have dealt with the treatment. The four young men had to first deal with the reticule from those of their own race that doubted them and the cause they were for long before they had to deal with the treatment in store from whites. The protesters had to deal with harsh name calling, having people spitting on them, having drinks and food dumped on them, having things thrown at them, and in the worst situations, being dragged off the stool or chair and beaten. Starting with the four young men, teens and all who participated took turns being humiliated and mistreated, all for the passage of civil rights and a new life for generations ahead of them.

While you think about what you would have done in this time I will speak for myself, not my generation, group of friends or peers, but myself. I will reflect on the situation, take a deep look within, and speculate on what I would have done. I can imagine that you believe that because I am writing this article that I would say I would have stepped up and took the stand that the four men and other participators in the Greensboro Sit-Ins did, but it is not that easy. These individuals involved had to be willing to risk their life for a cause and a better life for me today, 45 years in the future. As a child I had a hard time even taking the blame, beating, or punishment for someone I loved, someone that was of blood relation, and someone that I new would thoroughly appreciate it. Ezell Blair (now Jibreel Khazan), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond and other participators of the sit ins had no problem taking a beating for individuals they knew and did not know, they had no problem taking a beating for individuals of no relation, and they had no problem taking a beating for individuals they had no idea would even appreciate the mountain they climbed, or the beating they took. Put in the same situation and looking at myself today, the attitude I take towards life, and how I feel about rights and mistreatment, I can see myself being one of the young men sitting at that F.W. Woolworth lunch counter. I can picture myself having the will to make a difference and being able to plan a sit in and go through with it. It is easy for me to visualize myself wanting to take a stand, but risking my life for future generations is a hard feat that may have not been so easy. The part where I would question myself is once the mistreatment by the white individuals took place. It is hard for me to see myself sitting at the lunch counter while being spit on, beaten, and harassed. Though how hard it may seem to me to do today, if placed at that lunch counter with the four young men, I can honestly see dedicating myself to making life better for those to come. Now that I have spoken for myself and what I would have done if put in the situation of the four young men who decided to change their community, which ultimately changed the world, by sitting down at a lunch counter at which they thought they deserved the right to be served, what would you have done? Would you have been one to shy away from being part of making a change, or would you have been the one to step up, risk your life, and dedicate yourself to bringing about a change. Would you have withstood the beating, spitting, and harassment, to secure rights and freedoms for those to come? No matter what race, gender, or age, if you had the chance to step out, maybe alone or with a group and make a difference, would you? Would you have “stood up” to inequality so individuals in the future could “sit down” at any lunch counter they pleased and be served? If your answer was yes there is still opportunity to stand up and make a change. If your answer was no, maybe you should take a deeper look within yourself and see why as a human being you feel no since of urgency, or duty, to make life better for those after you. If we all look deep enough we will find that it is in our human nature to want what is best for the next generation.

Victor Davidson, '05