Link to July WYFF report, "Greenville 8" Together 50 Years After Segregation: 8 African-American Students Arrested In All-White Library 50 Years Ago". (Thanks to Nanette Bulebosh for the catch.)
Excerpt: On July 16, 1960, eight young African-American students, under advice from the Rev. S.E. Kay, entered the library in protest of the library's segregation policies. After peacefully refusing to leave, the "Greenville 8" were arrested by city police and released after spending about 45 minutes at the city jail, according to the Greenville County Library System.
"Everybody asks me, 'Well, were you scared?'" said Margaree Crosby, one of the eight. "I say, 'No I was not afraid.'"
Later that month, Donald Sampson, and African-American attorney in Greenville who represented the group, filed a suit in Federal court to integrate the public libraries on North Main Street and East McBee Avenue. On Sept. 2, the libraries closed "in the face of the lawsuit" according to the library system. A few days later, Judge C. C. Wyche dismissed the suit, because the libraries were at that point "nonexistent."
On Sept. 19, the Greenville Public Library reopened as an integrated facility.
Related article:
A time when public libraries weren't open and free to all. (4/25/2010)
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