December 2, 1960
The first “stand-in” for racial integration occurred in Austin, Texas, when a biracial group of about 100 students stood in line at the Texas Theater, next door to the YMCA. The line snaked down the sidewalk as the protest lasted an hour before the group returned to the Y. Persons would line up at the box office, and when their turn came to purchase a ticket, would politely ask, “Is this theater open to all Americans?” When told it was limited to white customers only, the person would return to the end of the line and repeat the process. This had the effect of both raising the issue and clogging up the line. For the next five months, Students for Direct Action (SDA) organized two or three stand-ins a week with 100 – 150 participants. Picketers were added and carried signs which read, “Your money spent here supports segregation.”In September, 1961 a deal was brokered: If the stand-ins ceased, the theaters agreed to a one-month trial period in September where African American UT students (who would be required to show IDs) would be allowed into the theaters. After a month, if there had been no objections from other patrons and business was unaffected, the theaters would quietly open their doors to all persons. Within a year, most of the shops along the Drag had integrated as well.
