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In October 1960, four courageous students: Dr. Ernest Brooks Sr., Rev. Kimmie Davis, Dr. Wesley Cornelius McClure, and Mrs. Shirlene Mercer became known as the Freshmen Four.

These students participated in sit-ins at the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter in Jackson, enduring violent resistance as they challenged segregation. Their actions helped end racial segregation of public facilities in the city.

Their bravery is commemorated today both outside and inside Jackson’s City Hall, built on the site of the former Woolworth store. Their legacies remind us that the voices of students can change history.