Segregated lunch counters were a prominent feature of the Jim Crow era in the United States, particularly in the southern states. These lunch counters were physical barriers that enforced segregation based on race, typically with separate counters and seating areas for white and Black patrons. Black Americans were often not allowed to sit at the same lunch counters as white individuals and were instead forced to use separate facilities that were often of inferior quality.

One of the most well-known instances of protests against segregated lunch counters occurred during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The sit-in movement involved Black college students staging nonviolent protests by sitting at segregated lunch counters and refusing to leave until they were served. These protests were a key part of the larger push for civil rights and desegregation in the United States.

One of the most famous sit-ins took place at the Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960. Four African American college students, known as the Greensboro Four, initiated the sit-in that quickly spread to other cities across the South. These demonstrations brought national attention to the issue of segregation and helped to galvanize support for the civil rights movement.

The fight against segregated lunch counters and other forms of racial segregation played a significant role in shaping the history of Black Americans and the broader struggle for civil rights in the United States. The courage and determination of those who participated in sit-ins and other protests helped to bring about important changes in the legal and social landscape of the country.