Final answer:
In February 1960, four black college students began a trend towards mass involvement in civil rights activism with the start of lunch counter sit-ins at a Woolworth's in Greensboro, NC, which quickly spread nationwide.
Step-by-step explanation:
In February 1960, four black college students initiated a significant act of nonviolent protest by staging a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. This action catalyzed a broader movement of mass involvement in the fight for civil rights through similar peaceful protests. Despite facing hostility, they set an example that quickly spread to other cities, sparking a nationwide wave of sit-ins as an effective form of civil resistance.
These students, enrolled at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College, chose the Woolworth's chain deliberately due to its national presence and vulnerability to negative publicity. Their efforts were a form of nonviolent protest and demonstration against the persistent segregation that African Americans faced in public spaces. Not only did their actions contribute to some desegregation, but they also influenced other forms of civil rights activism and led to the formation of the influential Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in April 1960.
White leaders attempted to ignore and downplay the protests, but as media coverage and public awareness increased, it became clear that these student-led actions were deeply impactful in the civil rights movement. Their legacy is a testament to the effectiveness of nonviolent direct action in challenging systemic racism and social inequality.