Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
On February 1, 1960, four young college freshmen walked into the Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro and took a seat they weren’t allowed to occupy. Their quiet defiance against segregation sparked a national movement, forever changing the course of American history.
This week, the community mourns the passing of Joseph McNeil, one of those young men—known to the world as part of the A&T Four. McNeil died on September 4 at the age of 83, leaving Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.) as the last living member of the historic group. Fellow classmates and A&T Four members, David Richmond and Franklin McCain, preceded McNeil in death in 1990 and 2014.
Born on March 25, 1942, in Wilmington, North Carolina, McNeil came of age in the era of Jim Crow. He graduated from Williston Senior High School before enrolling at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in the fall of 1959. Just months into his freshman year, he and his friends etched their names into history with the sit-in movement.
McNeil graduated from A&T in 1963 with a degree in engineering physics and went on to serve his country in the United States Air Force. He flew as a KC-135 navigator during the Vietnam War and other operations, rising through the ranks to retire as a major general in 2000. His career also included leadership at the Federal Aviation Administration, where he oversaw flight standards across multiple regions.
He was also dedicated to mentoring youth and emerging adults, working with schools, colleges and civic organizations to inspire future leaders. He received four honorary doctorates—from North Carolina A&T, St. John’s University, UNC Wilmington, and Molloy University—and in 2010, McNeil was awarded the Smithsonian’s James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his lasting contributions to American history.
“Joseph McNeil and his fellow North Carolina A&T classmates inspired a nation with their courageous, peaceful protest, powerfully embodying the idea that young people could change the world,” said N.C. A&T Chancellor James R. Martin II. “The North Carolina A&T family mourns his passing but celebrates his long and incredible life and the legacy he leaves behind.”
That legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of Greensboro and beyond. The February One Monument on A&T’s campus— a 15-foot-tall bronze and marble sculpture—stands as a permanent reminder of the four young men’s story, depicting their first walk home from the Woolworth’s on Feb. 1, 1960. In Wilmington, a historic marker and a portion of Third Street, renamed Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil Way keeps his story alive in his hometown. Part of the Woolworth’s counter also sits in an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
Local leaders also reflected on the significance of McNeil’s passing. Sharon Hightower, Greensboro District 1 City Councilmember, called him “a true civil rights pioneer” and urged the community to protect the legacy of the A&T Four.
“This world has lost a true civil rights pioneer. And the impact he made on this city, this state and this nation will be remembered forever,” Hightower said. “When people drive by that statue, I want them to remember what it means. We cannot allow future generations to forget their story. If they had the courage to fight, we too can carry on that courage today.”
Even in his later years, McNeil remained connected to the cause he helped ignite. He returned each February to A&T for the annual Sit-In Anniversary breakfast and wreath-laying ceremony. At the most recent commemoration in 2025, he told the people in attendance simply, “I’m just blessed to be here.”
The Woolworth’s building, where he and his three classmates once staged a world-changing protest, is now home to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The museum’s exhibits, including a video reenactment of the students’ late-night planning session on January 31, 1960, preserve the story of the sit-in movement for generations to come.
“The sit-in participants leave a legacy of non-violent protests that promote equity, justice and change throughout the world,” said museum co-founder Earl Jones.
What began with four students quickly spread—first to Winston-Salem, Durham, Asheville and Wilmington, and soon across the South, from Richmond to Nashville and beyond. By the end of the first week, hundreds had joined the Greensboro sit-ins, including local high school students from James B. Dudley High School, who carried out the protest through the summer. Nashville would become the first Southern city to desegregate its lunch counters, while Greensboro’s Woolworth’s followed six months after that fateful first sit-in.
McNeil is survived by his widow, three sons—Alan, Joseph, and Frank—a daughter, Jacqueline Jackson, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Ron.
His family announced a series of memorial services honoring his life, with the first already taking place on September 8 in Hempstead, New York, where McNeil lived for many years.
On September 11, 2025, the community will gather to honor Joseph McNeil’s life at a place that meant so much to him—his alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University. The service will be held inside Harrison Auditorium in Greensboro, N.C. Family, friends and loved ones are invited to attend a public viewing from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a memorial service from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The eulogy will be delivered by Bishop William J. Barber II, with the service also available via livestream.
The last two services are in Wilmington, his birthplace, with a viewing at Davis Funeral Home on September 12, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and a final memorial service at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church on September 13, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. He will be laid to rest at Pine Forest Cemetery.
“His legacy is a testament to the power of courage and conviction,” said his son, Joseph McNeil Jr., in the family’s statement. “His impact on the civil rights movement and his service to the nation will never be forgotten.”
