african-american and the cause for human rights in america. martin luther king's strategy of nonviolent direct action inspired a wave of young activists to take up the cause. >> king was able to energize young ministers, young students. he set a tone of "let's come out of these cathedrals, let's come out of these offices, and let's do something in the streets." >> beginning in february 1960, in cities from greensboro to nashville, black students sat down at lunch counters and refused to leave until they were served. sit-ins introduced a new, more confrontational tactic to the movement that provoked white segregationists to violence. then in may of 1961,