On This Day in Charleston History: April 1, 1960 – Burke High School Kress Building Sit-In

The Burke High School Kress building sit-in occurred inspired by similar actions across the nation and marked the beginning of the local Charleston Movement.

It began when 24 students from Burke High School marched into the S.H. Kress building (present-day H&M) and sat at the lunch counter to protest Jim Crow apartheid segregation laws. Multiple attempts were made by the staff to remove the students, including removing stools and scrubbing ammonia on the lunch counter to discourage any additional protestors.

A few hours later, management reported a fake bomb threat to police. Despite police orders to evacuate the building, the students remained seated. Ultimately, leading to the students’ arrest and trespassing charges.

The following students were involved in the sit-in: John Bailey, James Gilbert Blake, Jenniesse Blake, Andrew Brown, Deloris Brown, Minerva Brown, Charles Butler, Mitchell Christopher, Allen Coley, Corelius Fludd, Harvey Gantt, Joseph Gerideau, Kennett Andrew German, Cecile Gordon, Annette Graham, Alfred Hamilton, Caroline Jenkins, Francis Johnson, Joseph Jones, Alvin Delford Latten, Verna Jean McNeil, David Paul Richardson, Arthur Singleton, and Fred Smalls.

Image 1: Burke High School students at the S.H. Kress sit-in, April 1, 1960. From left to right: Alvin Latten, David Richardson, Verna Jean McNeil, Minerva Brown King, and Fred Smalls (Photograph by Bill Jordan, courtesy of the Post & Courier)

Image 2: S.H. Kress store on King Street, Charleston, SC, ca. 1960 (Avery Photograph Collection, folder 30-41)

Story courtesy of Avery Research Center, College of Charleston