Sit-ins were a significant form of nonviolent protest used during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, primarily in the 1960s. Sit-ins involved Black individuals and their allies gathering in segregated public spaces, such as restaurants, lunch counters, and other establishments that refused to serve African Americans.

One of the most famous sit-ins took place on February 1, 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, at a Woolworth's lunch counter. Four African American college students from North Carolina A&T State University sat down at the "Whites Only" counter and politely requested service. Despite being denied, they remained seated in peaceful protest. This event sparked a wave of sit-ins and demonstrations across the South, leading to increased attention on racial segregation and discrimination.

Sit-ins were effective in bringing awareness to racial inequality and challenging segregation laws. They were a key part of the larger Civil Rights Movement, which ultimately led to the desegregation of public spaces and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Sit-ins demonstrated the power of nonviolent resistance and the determination of Black Americans and their allies to fight for equality and justice.