W. S. McIntosh facts for kids

William Sumpter McIntosh (February 2, 1921 – March 4, 1974) was an important leader in the Civil Rights Movement from Dayton, Ohio. He worked hard to make sure everyone had equal rights, no matter their skin color.

In 1960, McIntosh visited Atlanta, Georgia to learn from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. He brought those ideas back to Dayton. On February 26, 1961, he led one of the first big civil rights protests in Dayton. He fought against "segregation," which meant keeping people of different races separate.

McIntosh always tried to talk things out first. If that didn't work, he encouraged people to stand up for their rights. He used peaceful ways like picketing (holding signs outside a business), sit-ins (sitting down and refusing to leave), and boycotts (refusing to buy from a business). He used these methods to help minorities get jobs at places like Rike's department store and Liberal supermarket in Dayton.

McIntosh also helped organize community groups. He was the leader of the Dayton chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). This group worked for equal rights for all people.

On March 4, 1974, William Sumpter McIntosh was killed while trying to stop a robbery at a jewelry store in downtown Dayton. He was shot by Calvin Farmer. McIntosh died while bravely trying to help others.

Honoring a Hero

The City of Dayton has honored W. S. McIntosh for his brave actions and his work for the community. They named a park after him called W. S. McIntosh Park.

In June 2007, leaders from Dayton and the University of Dayton publicly honored McIntosh. They also created a special award in his name. This award is called the W. S. McIntosh Memorial Leadership Award. Each year, it helps a minority student from Dayton go to the University of Dayton. The scholarship covers tuition, fees, and living costs for eight semesters.