Sit-in protests were a key tactic used during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, particularly in the 1960s. The sit-in strategy involved African American protestors peacefully occupying seats or spaces in segregated establishments, such as restaurants, lunch counters, and libraries that denied them service due to their race.

One of the most well-known sit-ins occurred on February 1, 1960, in Greensboro, North Carolina, when four African American college students sat down at a whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth's department store. Despite being refused service, the students remained seated in protest. Their peaceful demonstration sparked a wave of similar sit-ins across the South, leading to the desegregation of many public facilities.

These sit-ins played a crucial role in raising awareness about the injustice of segregation and discrimination, and they inspired a new wave of activism among African Americans and their allies. The sit-ins also highlighted the power of nonviolent protest as a tool for social change. The success of the sit-in movement ultimately contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.