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63rd Anniversary of High Point Sit-In| 'Woolworth 26' honored with prayer vigil

On February 11, 1960, 26 Black high school students sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter. This was the first sit-in led by high school students.

HIGH POINT, N.C. — It was 4 p.m. on February 11, 1960 when 26 William Penn High School Students sat down at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown High Point.

Their actions marked the first sit-in led by high school students.

Among the 26, Mary Lou Andrews Blakeney. 

"You make that decision while you're sitting there to decide that you are the one to do something about it, and you stood up, and went to Woolworths. That back door at 4 o'clock, exactly 4 o'clock," said Blakeney.

63 years later Ms. Blakeney and a host of local pastors held a prayer vigil, honoring the day local students demanded change. 

A pivotal movement in the nations civil rights movement.

"We didn't know what to expect except it was a surprise to them," said Blakeney. 

The group became known as the Woolworth's 26. 

Each hoping to be a beacon of change. 

Inspired by the actions taken by the "Greensboro Four."

Four North Carolina A&T students that sat at a segregated lunch counter at a Greensboro Woolworth's just days before. 

Blakeney says their actions were not done without a lot of faith and prayer. 

Knowing the tension created by similar demonstrations throughout the country. 

"You could not do the crazy things because you could not do what we sit out to do, what we promised to do, what we asked the Lord to let us do. That would never had worked if we had done that," said Blakeney. 

Today, dozens showed up to remember the day that helped rewrite our nation's history.

Recognizing the strides made as a nation, while acknowledging there's still work to be done. 

"Do something again. The idea is just not to let it die. Whatever it is that's wrong. Try to fix it now," said Blakeney. 

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