Bowder, on November 13, 1956, ruled that bus segregation in Montgomery was unconstitutional. The decision was presented to authorities on December 20, 1956. Segregation on buses ended the next day. (Bass, 610-612).
In September 1957, in response to 1954's court decision in Brown V. Topeka's Board of Education, that all segregated schools are "inherently unequal," 9 African American students enrolled at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The struggle between segregationists and integrationists, State of Arkansas and the federal government, and President Eisenhower and Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas became known as the "Little Rock Crisis." Governor Faubus ordered the National Guard to surround the school to keep the 9 out. President Eisenhower, in turn, sent the 101st Airborne Division into Little Rock to ensure the safety of the 9 students, and to see that all Supreme Court rulings were upheld. (Burk, 97-101).
February 1, 1960, four college freshmen ask to be served at a segregated lunch counter but are denied. The group stayed until closing and were forced to leave, with never have being served. This first sit-in had no effect whatsoever. The next day a larger group came. Civil rights organizations began to spread word to other campuses. Within two weeks students in eleven cities held sit-ins. Many northern students who heard of the movement decided to help by picketing the local branches of chain stores that were segregated.
The basic idea of a sit-in was for students to ask to be served at a lunch counter. If they were served they would move along. However, if they were not served, they would not move until they were. If arrested, a new group would take their place immediately. The students would remain nonviolent and respectful at all times, and would dress in their best outfit.
James K. Kilpatrick, editor of the Richmond News Leader noted "Here were the colored students, in coats, white shirts, ties, and one of them was reading Goethe and one was taking notes from a biology text.