Sit-ins were a form of nonviolent protest used during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to challenge racial segregation and discrimination in public spaces. The sit-in strategy involved African American protesters occupying segregated spaces such as lunch counters, restaurants, and other establishments where discriminatory practices were in place.

One of the most famous sit-in protests took place on February 1, 1960, when four African American college students—Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Joseph McNeil, and Franklin McCain—sat down at a whites-only lunch counter at a Woolworth's store in Greensboro, North Carolina. The four young men were denied service but remained seated in protest until the store closed.

The Greensboro sit-in sparked a wave of similar protests across the South, with sit-ins spreading to other states and involving thousands of participants. Sit-ins were instrumental in raising awareness of the injustices of segregation and putting pressure on businesses and local governments to desegregate public facilities.

Sit-ins played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the courage and resilience of African American activists in the face of systemic racism and discrimination. The success of sit-ins ultimately led to the desegregation of many public spaces and contributed to the broader struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States.