WOMEN PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN 1961. PHYLLIS HYATT FOUGHT FOR AN END TO SEGREGATED LUNCH COUNTERS IN HER CITY OF ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA, ALONGSIDE HER MALE FRIENDS.
HYATT WAS ONE OF A GROUP OF FEMALE FRIENDSHIP JUNIOR COLLEGE STUDENTS who CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE
“CITY GIRLS” BECAUSE THEY RESIDED IN THE CITY.
THE LACK OF JAIL FACILITIES TO HOLD WOMEN AND THE SEXUAL POLITICS OF THE ERA MEANT THAT NONE OF THE CITY GIRLS WERE ARRESTED FOR THEIR PROTESTS.
BUT THEY WERE IN THE THICK OF THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, ENDURING THE SAME dangers AND INDIGNITIES AS the MEN IN THE MOVEMENT.