Franklin McCain

Franklin Eugene McCain (January 3, 1941 – January 9, 2014) was an American civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four. McCain, along with fellow North Carolina A&T State University students Ezell Blair Jr., Joseph McNeil and David Richmond, staged a sit-in protest at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, on February 1, 1960, after they were refused service due to the color of their skin. Their actions were credited with launching the Greensboro sit-ins, a massive protest across state lines involving mostly students who took a stand against discrimination in restaurants and stores by refusing to leave when service was denied to them. The sit-ins successfully brought about the reversal of Woolworth's policy of racial segregation in their southern stores, and increased national sentiment to the fight of African-Americans in the south.

Early life, education and protest

McCain was born in Union County, North Carolina, on January 3, 1941. He attended James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro for one year where he initially met his soon-to-be partner in the Greensboro Sit-ins, Ezell Blair Jr., but moved with his family to Northeast, Washington, D.C. McCain said that they "finally felt hypocritical" for doing nothing along with many in the country, and they decided it was time to take a stance. Ultimately, it was McCain who gave the final call as his friends began to get cold feet about the situation. Quiet McCain is remembered for saying, "Are you guys chicken or not?" Despite being scared, the men stood their ground. McCain compared the men to "Mack trucks" because there was no way anyone could move them from their seats. The movement's success helped prove that non-violent and mobilized citizens could make a profound difference.

In 1964, McCain graduated from North Carolina A&T with bachelor's degrees in both biology and chemistry.

Later life and death

After graduating from North Carolina A&T, McCain moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he worked at the Celanese Corporation, a chemical manufacturer, where he built upon his career for 35 years.

On January 9, 2014, McCain died from respiratory complications at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina, six days after his 73rd birthday.

Personal life McCain was married to his wife, Bettye Davis McCain, from 1965 until she died in 2013. The two had three sons: Franklin Jr., Wendell, and W. Bertrand McCain. In addition to the monument, the four men each have residence halls named for them on the university campus.

In 1991, McCain received the honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities from NC A&T State University.

Franklin McCain's grandson, Franklin "Mac" McCain III, was a starting cornerback for North Carolina A&T, Franklin Sr.'s alma mater. He later played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles.