January 28, 2015 – A South Carolina judge has erased the convictions of the Friendship 9, nine black men who staged a famous “sit-in” protest at a whites-only lunch counter in the early 1960s. They were convicted of trespassing and protesting at the McCrory’s variety store in Rock Hill in 1961. The case drew national attention when the men opted to go to jail rather than pay a fine. Judge Mark Hayes announced his ruling today to the cheers of a packed courthouse. Hayes said his decision would help “right history,” and prosecutor Kevin Brackett apologized to the eight surviving protestors attending the hearing.
The names of the Friendship 9 are engraved on stools at the counter of the Main Street restaurant, and a plaque outside marks the spot of the incident. Official and personal apologies have been offered to the men over the years, but the judge’s ruling on Wednesday brought legal closure to the case.
Link: AP
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