Which movement used protests at segregated lunch counters to challenge segregation?

• A. Sit-In Movement
• B. Freedom Rides
• C. March on Washington
• D. Little Rock Nine

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is nonviolent direct action aimed at ending segregation in everyday public spaces. Protests at segregated lunch counters used peaceful sit-ins to expose the injustice of Jim Crow in restaurants and other public accommodations. By students and activists taking a seat and refusing to leave despite being denied service, the movement drew public attention, sparked rapid spread to other cities, and pressured businesses and officials to desegregate. This technique organized around moral authority, visibility, and economic pressure, helping to catalyze broader civil rights advances.

Other options targeted different fronts of segregation: challenging segregation on interstate buses (Freedom Rides), staging a large-scale political demonstration for civil and economic rights (March on Washington), or desegregating a high school with federal intervention (Little Rock Nine). None of these center on lunch-counter sit-ins, which is why the sit-in movement best fits this description.