news-record.com

LIFE

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Famous sit-in photo stumps Jeopardy! players

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

(Updated Wednesday, November 25 - 8:57 am)

By Dioni L. Wise
Staff Writer

A famous photo of the Greensboro sit-ins taken by Greensboro Record photographer Jack Moebes was featured Tuesday on the popular trivia show “Jeopardy!”

In the second round of questioning, contestant Ben Davis chose the $2,000 question under the “Newseum” category.

Then show host Alex Trebek appeared in front of a blow-up of the photo at the Washington, D.C., museum for journalism.

The photo depicts N.C. A&T students Joseph McNeil and Franklin McCain — two of the original protesters — along with Billy Smith and Clarence Henderson at the Woolworth’s lunch counter at South Elm Street and what is now February One Place. McNeil, McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. and David Richmond started the sit-ins on Feb. 1, 1960.

“A key moment in the civil rights movement was a sit-in protest after four black students were refused service at an all-white F.W. Woolworth lunch counter in this North Carolina city,” Trebek prompted.

Instead of asking “What is Greensboro?” the contestants responded with blank stares.

“That was Greensboro, North Carolina,” Trebek said.

The photograph was published in the evening edition of The Greensboro Record, a predecessor of the News & Record, on Feb. 2, 1960.

Contact Dioni L. Wise at 373-7090 or dioni.wise@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

John "Jack" Moebes

What do you think?

20 comment(s)

Read other visitors' comments.

Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please notify us.

Lakeshia

November 24, 2009 - 9:48 pm EST

Only in Greensboring would this be news -

nemrac

November 24, 2009 - 11:30 pm EST

The next article is about Roy Williams having shoulder surgery, wow you going to tell us next when he pissed. Only in Greensboro, NC.,
tim

Oona

November 24, 2009 - 11:35 pm EST

when greensboro gets a mention on jeopardy- that's news! 'news' is current events - a broad spectrum. i suppose it's all relative , but that which doesn't engage you - needn't garner your disdain.

Highlander

November 25, 2009 - 12:05 am EST

You are free to move to another town. Anytime you like.

histrion

November 25, 2009 - 9:41 am EST

Seconded.

l6k1

December 7, 2009 - 5:35 pm EST

Actually Lakeshia, news like this makes the news all over this country - it's call news. It's only a bad thing when the reader individually disagrees with the news being made. When intelligent people on a show such as Jeopardy can't answer a question that the less intelligent can about something most people know about, it's a concern - maybe not a BIG problem, but it makes you go, hhhmmmmmm.

lew16

November 24, 2009 - 10:26 pm EST

I think it's really sad that they didn't know the answer to that question... that is a big part of our nation's history... the civil rights movement had some deep roots in Greensboro...this is something that should have been common knowledge

pragmatist

November 24, 2009 - 11:22 pm EST

By sitting down, Joseph McNeil, David Richmond, Ezell Blair, Jr., and Franklin McCain stood up- not just for American Civil Rights, but for human rights. On 2/2/60, right here on South Elm Street, they affirmed humanity is not limited to the majority and set blaze to a signal fire to the world that human beings will inevitably be aroused to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-determination.
Such were the Greensboro 4. God Bless them.

sladejone11

November 30, 2009 - 12:41 pm EST

... well that's a run-on sentence if i've ever seen one.

l6k1

December 7, 2009 - 5:37 pm EST

Why comment about someone's sentence structure - I guess you have no value to add to the discussion.

Highlander

November 25, 2009 - 12:10 am EST

Anyone who knows anything about American History in the 1960's knows that the Sit-Ins began in Greensboro. Must've just been a fluke that all three Jeopardy contestants didn't know.

r u serious

November 25, 2009 - 12:37 am EST

In the 60's, history was being made all across the south. Doubt I could recall every picture taken in a pre-determined amount of time.

l6k1

December 7, 2009 - 5:40 pm EST

Your comment is very true. I'm black and live in Greensboro, and I can't remember every picture taken about black history. However, I have no excuse and neither do the contestants since the Sit-in was an iconic event.

knuckles

November 25, 2009 - 8:03 am EST

This only goes to show you that NOBODY outside of GSO gives a darn about this. It's just this liberal paper that won't let history be what it is........HISTORY..............get over it people. Quit living in the past and move on!!!!!!!!!!!

histrion

November 25, 2009 - 9:43 am EST

Boy, that's an amusing statement coming from someone who probably considers him- or herself a "conservative". Real chuckler. ;-)

Those who do not learn from history... you know the rest. Celebrating our history is a little different than "living in the past," knuckles.

MrHOPE

November 25, 2009 - 1:53 pm EST

The Fourth of July, D-Day, Veterans Day…, some would argue they are on equal footing with the time in our history that we as Americans decided, through our great institutions, that we can correct our past errors. When I wave my flag on the 4th of July, or remember sacrifices by other great Americans like my father on Veterans Day, my thoughts turn to anger at the thought of someone commenting that, “it is........HISTORY..............get over it people. Quit living in the past and move on!!!!!!!!!!!”

l6k1

December 7, 2009 - 5:44 pm EST

You don't need to take a class in logic to know that this person is just using this topic to take a shot at N&R by calling it a liberal newspaper. This person has "confetti conversations", you rip a topic apart with useless info, throw it in the air and call it liberal no matter how it falls. This is the mark of MOST conservatives, and usually uppity yet back woods OUT OF TOUCH people.

dusenberry

November 26, 2009 - 7:41 am EST

One of my very best high school teacher gave me some very good advice. Don't fill your head with useless information. It is only necessary to know how to find it when you need it. Now for goodness sake stop yelling.
I didn't say the sit-ins were useless. Just be thankful one of the questions wasn't about the Greensboro shootout.

l6k1

December 7, 2009 - 5:51 pm EST

As a black person with some knowledge of black history, I don't think this is a bad event. I think that America as a whole has issues with knowing its history and the world's. I do believe it would have impressed me if the contestants knew the picture, but not disappointed that they didn't. As this history becomes more historic - as years pass - many of us and our children will not be able to answer a similar question without constant reminders.

1911Bro

December 8, 2009 - 11:30 am EST

I know Mr. Franklin McCain personally. His son Franklin McCain Jr. was my roommate at A & T. It is deeply disturbing to see young people trivialize such a significant event in not only black history, but in our nations history. Each time you sit down at a restaurant and order a meal, or chastise a server because your meal was not prepared to your specifications, remember these four A & T students. This was not possible during that time in our history. These students risked being jailed or possibly worse, "DEATH." Therefore, I ask, are any of you who choose to be apathetic and nonchalant (indifferent) about the significance of those contestants not knowing about this historic event, which by the way is in the Smithsonian in Washington DC, willing to take that risk?......I think not.