On This Day in History

On This Day in 1958: First Sit-In Led by Clara Luper and Students

Clay Cane
August 19, 2025

Reading Time: < 1 minute

On Aug. 19, 1958, the NAACP Youth Council, led by teacher Clara Luper and her students, launched a sit-in at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter in Oklahoma City.

The store enforced whites-only seating, and the students’ peaceful protest directly challenged that segregation.

Their action quickly drew national attention, becoming one of the first sit-ins to receive widespread coverage.

Key Sit-Ins That Shaped the Civil Rights Movement

Aug. 19, 1958 — Oklahoma City, Okla.

Clara Luper and her NAACP Youth Council students stage a sit-in at Katz Drug Store, drawing national attention and helping launch a broader movement.
Feb. 1, 1960 — Greensboro, N.C.

Four Black students sit at a whites-only Woolworth’s lunch counter, igniting sit-ins across the South.
May 10, 1960 — Nashville, Tenn.

Students led by Diane Nash organize coordinated sit-ins; Nashville becomes one of the first major cities to desegregate its lunch counters.
Feb. 1961 — Rock Hill, S.C.

The “Friendship Nine” choose jail over paying fines, popularizing the “Jail, No Bail” strategy.
May 28, 1963 — Jackson, Miss.

A Woolworth sit-in turns violent; images of attacked demonstrators, including Anne Moody, help galvanize support for civil rights legislation.

The impact was immediate — shortly after the protest began, the store owner agreed to integrate the lunch counter.

But the movement didn’t stop there. Luper and her students continued organizing sit-ins across Oklahoma City, playing a pivotal role in integrating restaurants throughout the Midwest and inspiring similar actions nationwide.

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane