Watch February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four

February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four is a historical documentary film released in 2003, which reflects on the Greensboro Four's story. The film captures the intense sense of importance and resolve that surrounded the fight for civil rights in the United States in the 1960s. The movie aims to recreate the cultural, social, and political backdrop and history that culminated in the event known as the Greensboro sit-ins, which occurred on February 1st, 1960, in North Carolina.

The movie begins with a flash of archival footage looking back at the segregated South, where racial discrimination and segregation were rife. It then shows the pivotal role played by key players who helped efforts towards integration define and shape the movement. They range from student activists to educators and community leaders.

The movie takes its title from the date on which the Greensboro Four - Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond - entered the Woolworth's store in Greensboro, North Carolina and staged a non-violent sit-in at a whites-only lunch counter. The movie then goes on to show other similar instances happening across the country, as African-Americans refused to sit in the back of buses, and demanded equal pay, housing, and voting rights.

The film's use of archival footage, photographs, interviews, and first-person accounts from various organizers, marchers, and community leaders convey the struggles and hardships they faced. We see how African-Americans were denied access to schools, libraries, parks, and other public spaces, and how they were subjected to harassment, police brutality and even violent attacks by segregationists and white supremacists.

As the story progresses, we witness the Greensboro Four's courage and determination as they sit at the lunch counter, stoically enduring insults and provocation from the white patrons and employees. Their decision to challenge the segregation laws of the time, despite facing arrest, imprisonment, or worse, inspired others, and ignited public support around the country. It became the spark that led to a wave of sit-ins, boycotts, strikes, marches, and protests, which pressured political leaders and institutions to enact legislative reforms enabling greater racial equality.

The documentary portrays how the civil rights movement relied on grassroots efforts, and how ordinary people carried the burden of daily resistance. It shows how the organization of sit-ins, similar to the Greensboro one, gained popularity to eventually encompass wider issues of race equality. The film takes a humanizing approach, depicting the students as being regular people, living regular lives, with family and friends.

The movie ends with the acknowledgement of how the action of the Greensboro Four paved the way for a greater movement of peaceful protest, and for the broader civil rights legislation that was written into law in the following years. It highlights how their action symbolized a generation's desire for social and political change, and how it paved the way for a more inclusive and diverse society.

Overall, February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four is a poignant tribute to the bravery and vision of the men who participated in this pivotal event in the history of the civil rights movement. It provides a comprehensive overview of the context, potential consequences, and significance of the events that unfolded in Greensboro, and showcases how a small act of resistance and courage could transform the course of history. The film is a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up for principles of justice and equality, even when such actions go against the norm.