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What still rings so clear in my mind is how MLK, Jr. and those lunch counter protestors were maligned at the time. Politicians co-opted white fear as campaign planks. People I thought were upstanding people, quietly referred to those in the movement as "n_ggers" and agitators. Folks, it hasn't been that long ago when our politicians refused to vote for a Martin Luther King Holiday---yes, that conservative hero Jesse Helms was one. Arizona was one of the last states to recognize the MLK holiday. John McCain opposed it as recently as 1990! But the prize for this goes to the "conservative" controlled state of South Carolina which only recognized the holiday ....drumroll please...in 2000!
But of course there are people who post here who call anyone who brings up race--a racist.
Since the conservatives like to ask rhetorical questions, I will ask this one: What better person could be held up as a hero of civil rights than a man who believed in non violent protest?

This museum opening for the racists who still walk among us, was more like the opening of a wound and pouring salt upon it. They will use every instance to disparage the movement, and the museum. Their world was rocked, and they see equality for all as a loss for them. For them, I feel pity, disdain, and sorrow.

Perhaps we can convince the revrunt Jackson to spend a couple of nights at the local restaurants spitting in the spaghetti being served to the whites to help celebrate black history month?

The heroes of the left wingers for civil rights today, support civil rights for blacks only. Obviously Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton don't believe in civil rights for whites. If they did they would apologize for their hanging of the Duke lacross players. As far as the Revs. were concerned a trial would be a waste of time. The white boys had to be guilty. Sharpton claimed the ''rich white boys'' attacked a ''black girl'' and if there weren't arrests immediately there would be no peace. A racial war was about to break out because of the lies this black woman told and because of the way Sharpton and Jackson had pronounce these men guilty even before all the evidence was gathered. Where was Sharpton's and Jackson's concern for civil rights then? Where was the condemnation of this lying black woman, after the evidence proved she was lying? Where were the apologies for the white Duke lacross players after the evidence proved they were completely innocent? If Jackson and Sharpton are to be champions for civil rights, they have to promote civil rights for all, whites included.

I too was at Woolsworth in Feb 1960, being white I saw it in a different light. I thought at the time it was a sad time.
However, looking back now, I see it was just another event in the world out of millions of events.
If you choose to celebrate it, fine, if you choose not to that is also fine.
The one thing I have gained from this is that in Feb 1960, the world neither ended nor began.
If you elect to regard me as a racist or hold me in disdain, so be it, hopefuly I'll get up tomorrow and the day after .

I applaud the courageous effort of the people of 1960 to fight against the injustices of the time. There are plenty of injustices still today (for people of all races). The hope is that leaders will come forth to fight those injustices. Those who just want to stir the pot for their own financial gain will hopefully die off or fade away.

The museum has a lot of work ahead of it to be an attraction (meaning that it will attract patrons). I see promise in it but it's not going to be easy given where it is located and the challenge of being poignant, yet still having broad appeal.