Have you ever wondered what happened to ignite the sit-in movement in Greensboro? Why four A&T students? What happened after?In the new book “Hunger Pains in our Heads,” by Mansel Philip McCleave, these questions and many more will be answered.McCleave takes readers back to the time of segregation.

A time when the country was so divided that “white paychecks were issued to white teachers and Negroes were paid with pink checks.”

Jim Crow was the law of the land and many were not able to fight for change. The fear of retaliation silenced a nation until one day four courageous young men decided to shake up the world.

As then faculty member of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Mansel McCleave describes the climate of the time.

In the book he recalls an address given at A&T by the then Governor Luther Hodges. The governor was introduced by the residing president of the period, Dr. F.D. Bluford. It was customary for students and teachers to stand for a speaker but none of the A&T students rose.

To add insult to injury the governor had trouble pronouncing the word “Negro” and instead uttered “Nigra.” The “students began to boo and shuffle their feet while the R.O.T.C. students pounded the butts of their rifles on the floor.”

In other words, A&T students sat down long before the movement began to take shape.The author also takes time to sing praises of unsung heroes. People like Ralph Jones who helped in aiding students with clothes and money during the sit-in.

The pool-ins, ride-ins, and march-ins and countless other “-ins” for justice. These “Hunger Pains” McCleave cites still exist in today in education and housing. If the intent of the author was discussion readers are certainly left with a mouth full to dissolve.

• Alexandria Harper