Sit-in protests were a peaceful form of protest used during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The first widely publicized sit-in took place on February 1, 1960, at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. Four African American college students, known as the "Greensboro Four," sat down at the lunch counter and refused to leave until they were served, despite the counter's "whites only" policy.

The sit-in at Woolworth's sparked a wave of similar protests across the country, with students and activists organizing sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, restaurants, and other establishments. The sit-ins were a powerful and nonviolent way to challenge segregation and demand equal rights for African Americans.

These protests were often met with violence and arrests, but they brought national attention to the issue of segregation and helped to galvanize support for the Civil Rights Movement. Sit-ins played a significant role in desegregating public spaces and advancing the fight for racial equality in America.