And here, on the sidewalk outside was a gang of white boys come to heckle, a ragtag rabble, slack-jawed, black-jacketed, grinning fit to kill, and some of them, God save the mark, were wearing the proud and honored flag of the Southern States in the last war fought by gentlemen. Eheu. It gives one pause.".
On February 27, sit-iners in Nashville were attacked by a group of white teenagers. Police, however, arrested the protesters for disorderly conduct. As each group was arrested a new one would take its place. There was always a full lunch counter. Prominent black lawyer Z. Alexander Looby defended the protesters. While in court the judge simply turned his back on them. They were found guilty and charged $150 in fines. .
On Easter weekend Ella Baker of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) helped to organize a conference of sit-iners from around the nation. It was called the "Sacrifice for Dignity." The students in attendance then formed an independent organization called the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to lead in the effort.
On April 19, Looby's house was destroyed by a dynamite blast. This act enraged both blacks and whites. 2500 students and community members staged a silent march to City Hall that day. When questioned, the mayor agreed that segregation was wrong. The mayor's opinion helped to change minds and on May 10, 6 lunch counters began to serve blacks.
By August of 1961, sit-ins had attracted over 70,000 participants and had caused over 3,000 arrests. Sit-ins continued in some areas even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had declared segregation at lunch counters unlawful. Sit-ins began to be used on other public facilities, such as movie theaters. SNCC continued its involvement. These sit-ins proved that nonviolence and youth were powerful weapons. (Cozzens).
Members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) planned a protest that would force the federal government to respond to and support the Civil Rights Movement.