MARCH 27, 1867
In one of the nation’s first sit-ins, a group of Black men boarded a “whites-only” streetcar in Charleston, South Carolina, sitting among the white passengers. The conductor ordered them to move. They stayed. The police ordered them to move. They stayed. The driver unhitched the horses and left the streetcar.
Protests expanded beyond the single line, and police arrested 11. The continuing protests led Black residents to win the right to ride in the streetcars. Their victory expanded in June when the discrimination of railroads, horse-cars and steamboats were also banned.
The post On this day in 1867 appeared first on Mississippi Today.
Mississippi Today is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) news and media company with a forward-facing mission of civic engagement and public dialog through service journalism, live events and digital outreach. Our newsroom is dedicated to providing Mississippians with reporting that inspires active interest in their state and equips them to engage in community life. Mississippi Today’s news stories are republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Latest posts by Mississippi Today (see all)
- Gov. Reeves announces $110 million in economic development efforts - November 13, 2024
- Groups seek a new hearing on a Mississippi mail-in ballot lawsuit - November 13, 2024
- Surely, Shorty Mac would have an opinion on the LSU tiger controversy - November 13, 2024