Nashville played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement, especially during the early 1960s.

Students from Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and other colleges led organized sit-ins at segregated lunch counters downtown.

These peaceful protests were part of a coordinated effort to challenge segregation laws.

Civil rights leader James Lawson trained students in nonviolent protest strategies.

The Nashville sit-ins became one of the most successful early campaigns of the Civil Rights era, helping lead to desegregation in the city.

Today, Nashville honors this history through memorials and educational sites.