Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Pinkney (Illustrated by Brian Pinkney)

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pinkney, A. D. (2010). Sit-in: how four friends stood up by sitting down (B. Pinkney Illus.). Little, Brown. 

B. PLOT SUMMARY

Sit-in was a story about the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins that began at a Woolworth's in Greensborough, South Carolina. Many restaurants and businesses in the South were still segregated, and so four black college students decided that they would sit and wait to be served. Their request was simple - a doughnut and coffee with cream on the side - but they sat and sat as the staff at Woolworth's continued to repeat the mantra that had existed in many places in the South for decades - Whites Only. As news spread of these four students who refused to leave or give up their seats at the counter, other non-violent sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations broke out throughout many Southern states. Soon, news stations began picking up the story and covering all of the different protests. Many white people were angry at this non-violent form of activism, and many of the students were shouted at or had food dumped on them. But the words of Martin Luther King Jr. about fighting violence with non-violence rang through their ears through the weeks and months that followed. Eventually, organizations were formed, and with the help of President John F. Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. This banned segregation in any public place in the South, and was one of the cornerstone achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. And all of this was thanks to four boys with a simple request - a doughnut and coffee with cream on the side. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This was a really informative picture book that detailed the events of one of the first known non-violent protests during the Civil Rights Era. I think the text (with the help of some outstanding artwork) did a wonderful job of breaking down and explaining a somewhat complex time in American history. For young readers who may not know everything about the Civil Rights Movement and all of its characters and events, this book really shines the light on what it means to protest non-violently. All these four boys asked for was a doughnut with some coffee, and even as they remained patient and calm, those around them acted out with rage and hatred, often dumping food and drinks on these young men who simply wanted equal treatment. To be able to successfully convey what non-violent protesting is to a young audience is an achievement in my eyes. I felt that the mentions of recipes and the ingredients needed for change was a nice way of tying in the lunch counter protests with what was happening with the rest of the country at this time. To show kids that integration, not segregation, is the only way that equal treatment can take place, is an important lesson to learn. 

The artwork throughout did a nice job of depicting the black people throughout as kind and nurturing individuals. The protestors, even while they were facing hate and backlash from the White people around them, typically wore smiles on their faces and donned in their best outfits. Those racists who yelled and shouted for the boys to leave were always scowling or had angry looks on their faces. I think this is important for the young readers to pick up on the fact that these young men dealt with all of the negativity thrown their way with a smile on their face. They were not going to let anyone stop them from their ultimate goal, which was equal treatment regardless of skin color. The sketches of people were rough, but I believe this was done deliberately. The reader was unable to make out many of the faces of the characters depicted throughout (with the exceptions of MLK, JFK, and LBJ), and in my opinion, this helped show that this movement was not about any one individual. It was through the  collective effort of thousands of people that real change was able to take place. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Starred Review. Grade 3–6—Through effectively chosen words, Andrea Pinkney brings understanding and meaning to what four black college students accomplished on February 1, 1960, by sitting down at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. Her repeated phrase, "Their order was simple. A doughnut and coffee with cream on the side," along with other food metaphors, effectively emphasizes the men's determination to undo the injustices of segregation in a peaceful protest, which eventually led up to the 1966 Supreme Court ruling against racial discrimination. With swirling swabs of color that masterfully intertwine with sometimes thin, sometimes thick lines, Brian Pinkney cleverly centers the action and brings immediacy to the pages. Both the words and the art offer many opportunities for discussion. The book concludes with a civil rights time line and an update on the aftermath of the lunch-counter struggle.
—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, School Library Journal

This compelling picture book is based on the historic sit-in 50 years ago by four college students who tried to integrate a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. Food-related wordplay adds layers to the free verse, as in the lines about the protesters’ recipe for integration: “Combine black with white / to make sweet justice.” The double-page spreads in watercolor and thick ink lines show both the scene in Woolworth’s and across America as blacks and whites organize sit-ins and watch coverage of protests on TV. Finally, the young people at the counter get what they order, “served to them exactly the way they wanted it––well done.” The recipe metaphors are repetitive, but at the core of the exciting narrative are scenes that show the difficulty of facing hatred: “tougher than any school test.” Closing pages discuss the role of adults, including Ella Baker and then presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and include a detailed civil rights time line, “a final helping” about the historic struggle, and a bibliography. Even young children will grasp the powerful, elemental, and historic story of those who stood up to oppressive authority and changed the world. Grades 2-4.

—Hazel Rochman, Booklist

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Evans, Shane W. We march. ISBN 1250073251.

Levinson, Cynthia. The youngest marcher: The story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a young civil rights activist. ISBN 1481400703.

Shelton, Paula Young. Child of the civil rights movement. ISBN 0385376065. 

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Freedom on the menu: The Greensboro sit-ins (J. Lagarrigue Illus.) ISBN 0142408948.