WS Chronicle

Community members and central office personnel visited Diggs-Latham Elementary School to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the sit-ins at Kress Lunch Counter Movement.

BY TEVIN STINSON

THE CHRONICLE

Earlier this week the students at Diggs-Latham Elementary School received a crash course on the 1960s Sit-In Movement when central office personnel and community members came into their classrooms for a read-in event designed to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the Winston-Salem sit-ins at Kress Lunch counter in 1960.

During the event several guests discussed the history of the Sit-In Movement, as well as read books and stories that related to Black History Month.

Among the group of visitors were Larry Womble and Victor Johnson, both of whom were part of a group of 22 Winston-Salem State and Wake Forest students who led sit-ins at Kress.

Johnson, who is a member of the school board, told the students to take advantage of the opportunities they have and to be good students.

Black history chairperson at Diggs-Latham Amanda Gordon said she felt it was important that the kids learned about the history that was made right here in Winston-Salem. Gordon mentioned while many are familiar with the Greensboro sit-ins, not many people know that Winston-Salem was the first city in the state to desegregate lunch counters.

“Greensboro gets a lot of press, but the sit-ins here were just as important,” she continued. “It’s important that the students learn the sacrifices that were made for them to be here today.”