The Negro and the struggle for equal opportunity in Greensboro, May-July, 1963

This thesis deals with the reaction of Greensboro, North Carolina, to Negro demands for equal opportunity during the period May--July, 1963. During this three month period, blacks in the city had three main objectives: achieving equal employment opportunities in the city, getting qualified blacks on city boards and commissions, and achieving desegregation at Greensboro's privately-owned public accommodations. The businessmen who ran these facilities feared a loss of white customers and believed, because North Carolina had no law enforcing desegregation, that they could discriminate. The city government took a middleman position in the dispute. Promises from the city government to mediate had ended previous direct action attempts on the part of Negroes to achieve their objectives. On May 11, two weeks of sustained demonstrations by blacks began in an attempt to gain service at public facilities. Moving into the downtown area, the blacks attempted to desegregate two cafeterias and two theaters. In an effort to end the direct action, the mayor appointed the Special Committee to negotiate with the management. On May 25, three days after the setting up of this committee, the wave of demonstrations ended.