In 1960, students from high schools and colleges in Petersburg, Virginia, underwent training to prepare them for the challenges of participating in sit-in protests. This training exposed them to various forms of harassment, including provocations such as blowing smoke, pulling hair, jostling chairs, spilling coffee, striking with wadded newspapers, and using racial slurs.

Imagine having smoke blown in your face or being struck with a newspaper. These were the very real threats faced by those participating in civil rights protests in 1960, and they needed to be fully prepared for such adversities.

Participants in an event called "Social Drama" willingly endured humiliation and mistreatment. Success in this training hinged on one's ability to maintain composure. Losing one's temper meant failing the course.

By the autumn of 1960, sit-in protests had spread to over 80 cities throughout the American South. It was, as described by Martin Luther King, an "electrifying movement," even in the face of adversity.