At the Civil and Human Rights Museum, I tried the sit in challenge and passed. The challenge was to sit at a counter for one minute and 40 seconds, while listening to people harrass you, as they did in 1960 with the Greensboro Sit ins. I felt proud that I passed, even though within the short time I almost gave up. I quickly realized that I shouldn't be as proud. I could put up with less than two minutes but those who participated in the sit ins, had to put up with being ridiculed and threatened for many hours, every day for nearly six months. This challenge played on different senses to give a realistic experience. Even after the challenge, I could still hear the breathing of people in my ear, sounds of glass breaking, screams, and more; I could feel the shaking of the stools. Harmless sounds, reminded me of the challenge, where my heart was pumping hard, and could feel myself getting angry and losing patience and calmness. Just imagine if two minutes has an affect on me like this, hours per day could make one go insane.
Tanayja Whittington-Mackall, City Neighbors High School
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