February One

Dr. Steven Channing and Rebecca Cerese's superb documentary February One provides an almost visceral sense of how it might have felt to be in the Greensboro, NC, Woolworth's the day four black college freshmen reinvigorated and galvanized the Civil Rights movement by sitting at a whites-only lunch counter and refusing to leave until served. As described in the participants' own words from on-camera interviews, the moment comes to life in a skillfully constructed mix of 1960 TV coverage, newsreel footage, and period-grainy recreations (used in moderation but to great effect). Offering insights into the city's racial history and the sitters' courage and individual motivations, the film also follows the reactions of the store's management, the white and black communities, and the budding TV news industry--which showed up in force when the students returned on February 2, leading to copycat sit-ins across the South. But most impressive is the film's sense of immediacy: when one of the men recalls, "and then we took our seats," you'll feel as if you're sitting right next to them for what became a pivotal moment in American history. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Blackwelder)