Richmond 34 facts for kids

The Richmond 34 was a group of students from Virginia Union University. In 1960, they took part in a peaceful protest called a sit-in. This happened at a lunch counter inside the Thalhimers department store in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Their actions were part of the larger Civil Rights Movement. They helped to end segregation in Richmond.

Why the Sit-in Happened

In the early 1960s, many cities in the United States, including Richmond, Virginia, were segregated. This meant that Black people and white people were kept separate in many public places. For example, in department stores, Black customers could buy clothes. However, they were not allowed to try them on or return them.

Lunch counters inside these stores were often segregated too. Sometimes, Black people were not allowed to eat there at all.

The students from Virginia Union University were inspired by other protests. They learned about the Greensboro sit-ins that happened earlier. They also heard Martin Luther King Jr. speak at their university in January 1960. These events encouraged them to plan their own peaceful sit-in.

The Protest at Thalhimers

On February 22, 1960, 34 students from Virginia Union University went to Thalhimers Department Store. This store was in the center of downtown Richmond, Virginia. They walked in and sat down at the lunch counter. This counter was only for white customers. The students asked to be served.

Store staff asked the students to leave. When they did not, the students were arrested. They were charged with trespassing, which means being on private property without permission. The students were taken to jail. However, they were soon released after bail was paid.

How the Protest Changed Things

After the sit-in, Black people in Richmond started boycotting stores. A boycott means refusing to buy from a business. They also set up picket lines. This meant standing outside stores with signs to encourage others not to shop there. They wanted to stop segregation in these places.

The boycotts hurt the businesses in downtown Richmond. Store owners found it hard to manage the economic impact. So, they quietly decided to integrate their main floor lunch counters. By the end of 1960, Thalhimers had ended segregation in its facilities.

Almost a year after the Richmond 34 were arrested, the "Richmond Room" at Thalhimers was also desegregated. Some of the original protestors went back to see if they would be served. One of them, Leroy Bray, remembered, "We were served, and it was over."

In 1963, the store's owner, William Thalhimer Jr., was asked to meet with President John F. Kennedy. President Kennedy wanted his advice before sending a new civil rights bill to Congress. This shows the importance of the changes that happened in Richmond.

Remembering the Richmond 34

For many years, the Richmond 34 sit-in was not widely remembered. This was despite its big impact on ending segregation in Richmond and helping the overall civil rights movement.

In February 2010, Virginia Union University held a special event. It was a celebration for the Richmond 34. This event honored the group's 50th anniversary of the sit-in. It was the first celebration of its kind for them.

Also, a memorial marker was placed where Thalhimers once stood. This marker honors the 34 students and their brave actions.

Members of the Richmond 34

The following students were part of the Richmond 34:

• Leroy M. Bray Jr.
• Gordon Coleman
• Gloria C. Collins
• Robert B. Dalton
• Joseph E. Ellison
• Marise L. Ellison
• Wendell T. Foster Jr.
• Anderson J. Franklin
• Woodrow B. Grant
• Albert Van Graves Jr.
• George Wendall Harris Jr.
• Thalma Y. Hickman
• Joanna Hinton
• Carolyn Ann Horne
• Richard C. Jackson
• Elizabeth Patricia Johnson
• Ford Tucker Johnson Jr.
• Milton Johnson
• Celia E. Jones
• Clarence A. Jones
• John J. McCall
• Frank George Pinkston
• Larry Pridgen
• Leotis L. Pryor
• Raymond B. Randolph Jr.
• Samuel F. Shaw
• Charles Melvin Sherrod
• Virginia G. Simms
• Ronald B. Smith
• Barbara A. Thornton
• Randolph A. Tobias
• Donald Vincent-Goode
• Patricia A. Washington
• Lois B. White