Mississippi Freedom Trail – Jackson Municipal Library Sit-In

On March 27, 1961, nine African American students from Tougaloo College staged a sit-in at the Jackson Municipal Library, which served only white patrons. The students were arrested after refusing police orders to go to Carver Library, the “colored” library, instead. Large public protests were held at Jackson State University and in front of the city jail, and violence erupted on the day of their trial.