Protesting for Civil Rights on Long Island, March 1960
A Collection of Photographs from The Long Island Museum
Scenes from the NAACP-organized protest in
support of the Greensboro,
North Carolina, Woolworth Lunch Counter Boycott,
Jamaica, Queens, 1960, The Long Island Museum
Gifts of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014. Regionally around the United States, local Civil Rights events occurred in direct dialogue with national events, as leaders and organizations found inspirational nourishment from the larger-scale struggle. Ultimately, these grass roots efforts were crucial in building momentum that eventually led to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made segregation in public accommodations illegal. On February 1, 1960, four African American students from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro, North Carolina, walked into their local F.W. Woolworth store and took seats at the lunch counter. They were refused service but stayed and soon inspired similar peaceful demonstrations in cities across the North and South.
One month later, as depicted in these photographs, in Jamaica, Queens, members and supporters of the local NAACP chapter picketed the Woolworth’s at 162nd Street and Jamaica Avenue, to show their solidarity. Across Long Island, local NAACP chapters picketed other Woolworth stores and also S.H. Kress Variety stores in Flushing, Hempstead, and Astoria. The Reverend Robert C. Chapman, pastor of a local church and president of the Hempstead NAACP chapter, told a reporter at the time that “we are trying to help the chains understand that this is no less an affront to us than to our brothers in the South.”
Small Fry, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens. March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Titled "Small Fry," close up view of a smiling young boy wearing a protest sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN STUDENT / SIT-INS."
John Burnell, Chairman of Labor & Industry Committee (c.1960) by UnknownThe Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Close up view of a man, John Burnell, Labor Industry Chairman, wearing a sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS," a young boy wearing the s ame sign on the man's right side, looking at another man reaching into his bag.
Rhoda Gadson, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
View of a woman, Mrs. Rhoda Gadson, wearing a sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS," a young boy in the center holding a protest sign, policeman in the background.
Chester P. Alston, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Close up view of a woman, Mrs. Chester P. Alston, wife of Membership Chairman, wearing a sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS" and holding flyers in her right hand.
Students, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Young adult couple marching in front of the Woolworth building, man holding flyers and a sign that reads: "WE WALK / SO ALL / MAY SIT! / CORE."
Roger Benjamin, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
View of protesters walking in single file, wearing signs that read: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS."
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building. Close view of men protesting near the store entrance. Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Ralph Diamond, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Ralph Diamond, Vice President, Local 259 U.A.W., wearing a sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS" and holding a sign in his right hand that reads: "MEMO TO / WOOLWORTH / SERVING ALL / SERVES / AMERICA! / CORE.
Young Girls, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
View of young girls, "Youth Council", in front of the store wearing signs that read: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS" and holding flyers in her right hand.
Young Boy, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Young boy at the center, standing in front of a steel support beam, holding flyers, several protest signs stacked up in front of him and discarded flyers on the street on his left side.
Bill Booth, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
View of two men, one of which is Vice President Bill Booth, in front of the store wearing protest signs.
Dupree White, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens, March 1960, in front of the Woolworth building.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
Close up view of a woman, President Dupree White, President of Jamaica N.A.A.C.P., wearing a sign that reads: "JAMAICA BRANCH / N.A.A.C.P. / SUPPORTS / SOUTHERN / SIT-INS," holding a flyer in her left hand, a young child walking next to her.
Demonstration, Civil Rights Protest, Jamica, Queens, March 1960The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages
Black and white photograph depicting an organized Long Island Civil Rights demonstration in Jamaica, Queens in front of the Woolworth building, March 1960.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
View of a line of protesters holding and wearing signs.
Collection of The Long Island Museum of Art, History, and Carriages.
Gift of Eugene and Bernice Burnett, 2014.
