Final answer:
The historical origins of the sit-in tactic as used during the Civil Rights Movement trace back to the action of four students from North Carolina A&T in 1960, who initiated the Greensboro sit-ins at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter. This nonviolent protest method spread rapidly to other cities, leading to the formation of the SNCC and significant progress in desegregation.
Step-by-step explanation:
On February 1, 1960, four students from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University executed a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Greensboro sit-ins commenced with Ezell Blair, Jr., Joseph McNeil, David Richmond, and Franklin McCain being denied service. Their nonviolent protest sparked a nationwide movement as the tactic spread to fifty-four cities in nine states within two months. The Greensboro Four selected Woolworth's leveraging its status as a national chain, anticipating heightened attention that might result in desegregation. Their action, supported by figures like Ella Baker, ultimately contributed to the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), with over 100 cities desegregating some public accommodations owing to student-led demonstrations.
The sit-in method was not entirely unprecedented but was differentiated by its significant spread to multiple cities and the involvement of students from both races. The Greensboro sit-in succeeded after six months when Woolworth's agreed to serve all duly behaved and appropriately dressed individuals, marking a victory for the Civil Rights movement. The simplicity and directness of these protests made them effective and efficiently communicable across various communities.