Friendship Nine facts for kids

The Friendship Nine, also known as the Rock Hill Nine, was a group of African-American men. In 1961, they went to jail after taking part in a sit-in at a lunch counter in McCrory's store in Rock Hill, South Carolina. This lunch counter was only for white people.

The group became famous across the country. They used a new plan called "Jail, No Bail" (meaning "go to jail, don't pay bail"). This idea came from the 1960 Nashville sit-ins. It helped civil rights groups save a lot of money. These groups were struggling financially as the sit-in movement spread across the Southern United States. Eight of the nine men were students at Rock Hill's Friendship Junior College. That's why they were called the Friendship Nine.

The Start of Sit-ins

The very first sit-in happened in February 1960. Four Black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. This peaceful protest quickly spread.

The sit-in movement reached Rock Hill on February 12, 1960. About 100 Black students held sit-ins at different lunch counters downtown. Over the next year, more sit-ins took place in the city.

Protesting for Change

On January 31, 1961, students from Friendship Junior College and others protested at McCrory's on Main Street in Rock Hill. They were speaking out against the segregated lunch counters. The students walked in, sat at the counter, and ordered food like hamburgers, soft drinks, and coffee.

The next day, ten people were found guilty of trespassing and disturbing the peace. They were told to either spend 30 days in jail or pay a $100 fine. One person paid the fine. But the other nine chose to go to jail for 30 days of hard work at the York County Prison Farm. Eight of these nine were Friendship students.

This choice—going to jail instead of paying a fine or bail—was very important. It was one of the first times this "jail, no bail" plan was used in the Civil Rights Movement since the Nashville sit-ins. This strategy then spread to other places. More and more people joined the sit-ins and marches in Rock Hill through the spring and summer.

Life in Prison

Because these protestors chose prison instead of bail, they were sent to a work camp. There, they refused to work twice. As punishment, they were given only bread and water.

The Nine Brave Men

In 2007, the city of Rock Hill honored the Friendship Nine with a special historical marker. Most of the men were still alive at that time.

• Robert McCullough (passed away on August 7, 2006)
• John Gaines
• Thomas Gaither (He worked for the Congress of Racial Equality and was the only one of the nine who was not a Friendship student.)
• Clarence Graham (passed away on March 25, 2016)
• Willie Thomas [W.T. "Dub"] Massey (He is now a substitute teacher in the Rock Hill area.)
• Willie McCleod (passed away on December 31, 2020)
• James Wells (passed away on July 7, 2018)
• David Williamson Jr.
• Mack Workman

Why They Were Important

The "Jail, No Bail" strategy used by the Friendship Nine was very smart. Civil rights groups often struggled to find enough money for bail. By choosing jail, the protestors didn't have to pay anything. Instead, the local authorities had to pay for their jail space and food. This put the financial burden on the authorities, not the protestors.

However, staying in jail was a much bigger commitment than just getting arrested and bailed out. It showed how determined the protestors were.

Convictions Overturned

In 2015, Judge John C. Hayes III overturned the convictions of the Friendship Nine. He was the nephew of the original judge who had sentenced them. Judge Hayes said, "We cannot rewrite history, but we can right history."

At the same event, Prosecutor Kevin Brackett apologized to the eight men who were still living and present in court. The men were represented by Ernest A. Finney Jr.. He was the same lawyer who had defended them originally. Later, he became the first African-American Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court since Reconstruction.