Civil Rights marker commemorates "Sit-In" at Standard Drug Store #2
On Saturday, February 4th, the African American Heritage Commission of Kinston-Lenoir County will unveil a Civil Rights Trail Marker at 1PM. AAHC Chairman, Sammy C. Aiken says, “ our community recognizes the bravery and determination of the young Kinston citizens in their fight for our equal rights.” The “sit-in” occurred at the old Standard Drug Store #2 at the corner of Queen and Caswell Streets in downtown Kinston. Among the notable attending the unveiling will be Ms. Angela Thorpe, Executive Director of the statewide N.C. African American Heritage Commission as well as several family members of the students.
History of the Standard Drug Store Civil Rights Marker
The NAACP Youth Council was founded in 1943 and produced untold numbers of civil rights leaders including one of the young men at the Greensboro sit-in. The Kinston NAACP chapter was organized in 1956 with George Marks as president. In 1960, Simeon White, a senior at Adkin High School, was the Kinston chapter president and Mrs. Alice Hannibal was their advisor.
Mrs. Hannibal was one of two devoted women who guided the Kinston NAACP Youth Council and lead Kinston’s civil rights movement; the other was Annie Whitehead. Gregor Hannibal recalled the work of his mother and Mrs. Whitehead, "Many of the gains (voter registration, adult education, and integration of businesses, restaurants and theaters) back then were accomplished because of her work,” he said.
A few weeks after the 1960 Greensboro sit-in, Mr. Samuel Dove and his friends Curtis Henderson and Thomas Henderson staged a sit-in at Standard Drug #2. Inspired by the Greensboro events, the youths made a careful plan. With Thomas Henderson posted outside the building to serve as the "look-out" in case of "trouble," Dove and Curtis Henderson, went into the drugstore. Mr. Dove was an excellent student in French and the pair used this to their advantage. Dove introduced Curtis Henderson to the white waitress as an African diplomat from Washington. This subterfuge included Mr. Dove speaking French to Curtis Henderson who replied in gibberish. Mr. Dove "translated" Henderson's food order of eggs, bacon, and coffee to the waitress. The pair paid the bill and left the building.
1960 sit-in was following in February 1961 with a second sit-in at Standard Drug #2. Annie Whitehead was a participant at the 1961 sit-in. She recalls that the group of about twenty protesters marched to Standard Drug # 2 and looking in the windows, saw that the group of white customers, whom she refers to as “the officials,” were “meeting.” Mrs. Whitehead also notes that Standard Drug # 2 was chosen specifically because of its prominent role in Kinston politics.
The sit-in began as youths Simeon White and William Cheeks “rushed” inside the lunch counter and claimed the only two vacant seats, while other members rushed to the front door. The hurried actions of the group caused anger and panic among the white patrons, many of whom ran out the back door. The protesters sat at the counter, ordering and eating for about two hours. They were served and, according to Mrs. Whitehead, not asked to leave. Change at the Standard Drug # 2, occurred peacefully in large measure because of store owner Henry Suddreth's willingness to change policy.
It should be noted that Mrs. Whitehead reported that the only lunch counter sit-in held in Kinston was at Standard Drug #2.The history of the sit-ins at Standard Drug #2 are not written down in any single source. Samuel Dove, recalled that white leaders and the white media “suppressed anything out of the black community at that time.”
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