On January 31, 1961, ten black students from Friendship Junior College in Rock Hill, SC walked into McCrory's, sat at the lunch counter, and ordered hamburgers and soft drinks. They were denied service and asked to leave. After refusing to leave, the students were arrested for trespassing and processed.
In previous sit-ins, protestors were arrested for trespassing, processed by the police, fined and released from custody. When the 10 Friendship student-protestors appeared in court, the judge offered bail for their release or jail time. The students opted to serve 30 days in jail. They were convicted and did not pay the $100 fine. From that point, the concept of "Jail, No Bail" became the new strategy for the civil rights protest movement.
Narrated by award-winning actor Keith David, this 30-minute long documentary is a poignant examination of the personal trials and adversities that tested the character and resolve of this group of young men who, through non-violent protest, helped compel a nation to abandon segregationist practices between the races.
