61 years after their sit-in, members of the group are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Author: Connor Rhiel Updated: 6:51 PM EST February 25, 2021
RICHMOND, Va. On February 22, 1960, 34 Virginia Union University students staged a sit-in at a white-only department store in downtown Richmond. The students were arrested, charged with trespassing.
Their eventual conviction was ultimately repealed by the Supreme Court, a landmark decision in the Civil Rights movement. Elizabeth Rice is one of those 34 students.
The friendship between Rice and Elizabeth Thalhimer Smart was spontaneous. She came up to me and said, I appreciate what you ve done and I m sorry you haven t been recognized. I m gonna do all I can to make sure the 50th anniversary is one to remember, Rice recalled, reflecting on their first meeting a decade ago.