GREENSBORO, N.C. — On Thursday, family, friends and community members gathered to honor Joseph McNeil. His life, legacy and impact on the nation were celebrated during a memorial service at his alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University.

"He stood up, so we could sit down," said NC A&T's Chancellor James Martin III during the service. "He spoke up so we didn't have to suffer in silence."

Major General Joseph McNeil died September 4 at the age of 83. He was a member of the "Greensboro Four" who sat down at an all-whites lunch counter at the FW Woolworths in downtown Greensboro in 1960, sparking a new era in the Civil Rights movement.

Their bold act became a pivotal moment during a dark time in American history — sparking other sit-ins across the nation and spurring widespread change

See Full Page