Woolworth Lunch Counter: A Narrative Analysis

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Taking a seat at the lunch counter, I tried to mentally prepare myself for what was in store. I placed the headphones on my head, my hands on the table, closed my eyes and was greeted with an affirming voice:
“This your time first right? So far, so good...nice and calm, you’ll be alright, just stay calm.”
Moments later, the shouts of those opposed to my actions grew, repeating “get up, get up, get up,” each louder than the last. I wanted to drop everything and run away from the counter for protection, but I couldn’t. I needed to stay. I needed to endure the same humiliation and dehumanizing threats that those who sat at the lunch counter before myself experienced.
“If you don’t get up boy, I’m gon’ kill you... right in front of everybody. I’m gonna take this fork and I’ma jam it right into your neck”
I did nothing to deserve this. I simply just took a seat and wanted to be served like everyone else in this establishment, but …show more content…

Many exhibits had caught my attention, but the one that grabbed it was the Woolworth Lunch Counter. It’s a simulation that allows visitors to experience what the young men and women protesters went through. I thought I would’ve been able to put on a tough persona and breeze through this simulation, however, I couldn’t. This makes me wonder how the men and women who actually participated in the sit-ins were able to. They allowed themselves to be dehumanized, endured racial slurs, brutal attacks and showed no signs of retaliation. This takes an unmeasurable amount of dedication and self-resilience, which I hope to learn by traveling to 1960. Their actions remind me that you don’t need to do something massive to make a change and that even the smallest actions can ignite the most significant mass movements. From these students, I can learn what it truly means to be a servant leader—someone who focuses on the growth and well-being of their local

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