This Day in the Yesteryear: NASHVILLE SIT-INS BEGIN (1960)

English: Locations of sit-in demostrations in Nashville, Tennessee, February to May 1960. S. H. Kress – 237 5th Ave. N. McLellans – 229 5th Ave. N. Woolworths – 221 5th Ave. N. Harveys – 518 Church St. Walgreens – 226 5th Ave. N. W. T. Grant – 601 Church St. Cain-Sloan – 5th Ave. N. and Church St. Greyhound – 517 Commerce (6th Ave. N. and Commerce) Trailways Bus Center – 113 6th Ave. N. Moon-McGrath Drug Store – 323 Union St. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Just before it became first major Southern US city to begin integrating public spaces, Nashville was the scene of a months-long peaceful protest at the lunch counters of the city’s department stores. Scores of African-American college students calmly occupied seats at the counters while employees refused to serve them. Some protesters were assaulted or jailed. That May, the counters were desegregated. The protesters’ code of conduct became a model for other demonstrations. What did it say? More… Discuss

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Today’s in History: THOMAS CROMWELL IS EXECUTED (1540)

Thomas Cromwell Is Executed (1540)

Arguably the architect of the Reformation, Cromwell was an English statesman who gained nearly complete control of the government as the closest advisor of King Henry VIII of England. Cromwell abused his power but only fell from Henry’s favor after convincing him to marry Anne of Cleves, whom Henry found unattractive. After the marriage fizzled, Anne was sent away with a generous pension, but Cromwell was beheaded—on the same day that Henry did what?  More…

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