Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference even joined the coalition for a brief period.

They were refused service but remained seated there until the store closed.

These sit-ins continued and ultimately expanded outside of North Carolina to the rest of the country.

The F W. Woolworth building where the first “sit-in” for integration occurred in 1960.

Credit: J. Michael Jones/Getty Images

Guided tours are available by reservation, or guests can simply explore on their own.

Exterior of Bloody Sunday historical sign and Justice Center in Danville, Virginia

Courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation

Aerial view of Lido Beach in Sarasota, Florida

Ruth Peterkin/Getty Images

Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a line of African-American protesters down a Albany, Georgia street.

After being arrested by Albany Police Chief Laurie Pritchett, Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a line of African-American protesters down a Albany, Georgia street in 1961.Bettmann Archive