lang: en
Summary
In January 1955, African-American students from Morgan State College, alongside the Baltimore chapter of CORE, staged a sit-in at Read’s drug store in downtown Baltimore to protest the chain’s policy of denying lunch counter service to Black customers. The protest lasted less than half an hour and was accompanied by a week-long demonstration at another Read’s location. Two days later, Read’s president announced the immediate desegregation of all lunch counters, marking a swift victory for the campaign [source: nv-database].
Background
In the early 1950s, Read’s drug stores, like many downtown Baltimore businesses, maintained a policy of racial segregation at their lunch counters, allowing African Americans to purchase goods but not to sit or be served. This discrimination became increasingly untenable after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, and faculty and students at the predominantly Black Morgan State College were particularly affected when they were denied service at a nearby Read’s [source: nv-database].
What happened
On January 20, 1955, a group of student activists from Morgan State College and the Baltimore chapter of CORE staged a sit-in at the main Read’s drug store at Howard and Lexington Streets, while another group held a week-long demonstration at a Read’s in Northwood Shopping Center [source: nv-database]. The sit-in was led by Ben Everinghim, Dean McQuay Kiah, and Dr. [source: nv-database] Helena Hicks, and lasted less than half an hour before the students left voluntarily; no arrests were made, but the students were denied service [source: nv-database]. The protests hurt Read’s business, and on January 22, 1955, the Afro American newspaper ran the headline ‘Now Serve All’, quoting Read’s President Arthur Nattans Sr. [source: nv-database] as saying, ‘We will serve all customers throughout our entire stores, including the fountains, and this becomes effective immediately’ [source: nv-database]. The Baltimore sit-in predated the more famous Greensboro sit-in of 1960 and served as a model for later civil rights sit-ins [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Ben Everinghim
- Dean McQuay Kiah
- Dr. Helena Hicks
- Morgan State College
- Baltimore CORE
- Read’s drug store chain
- Arthur Nattans Sr.
Tactics used
The sit-in directly challenged segregation by occupying lunch counter seats, while simultaneous demonstrations at other branches amplified economic pressure on the chain. This combination of direct action and coordinated protest forced Read’s to desegregate quickly to avoid further losses [source: nv-database].
Outcome
Verdict: won.
The campaign achieved its goal of desegregating Read’s lunch counters within two days, as the chain’s president publicly announced the policy change. The student activists and CORE continued their civil rights work, staging further sit-ins and protests to integrate other local businesses [source: nv-database].
Lessons
- A well-organized sit-in can achieve rapid desegregation when combined with economic pressure from lost business.
- Coordinated protests at multiple locations can amplify the impact of a single direct action.
- Early local victories can serve as a model and inspiration for broader civil rights campaigns.
Sources
- Global Nonviolent Action Database —
[[nv-database]]
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py