GREENSBORO, N.C. — Major General Joseph McNeil, one of the four North Carolina A&T State University freshmen who helped launch the sit-in movement that transformed the civil rights struggle, has died. He was 83. North Carolina A&T confirmed McNeil’s death on Thursday, September 4. The HBCU praised him as both a courageous activist and a decorated serviceman.
“McNeil’s bravery and determination sparked the civil rights movement across the United States,” the school said in a statement. “His military service and achievements as a major general in the Air Force Reserve Command show his dedication to service and country.”
McNeil was a Wilmington, N.C., native when he joined fellow students Ezell Blair Jr. (later Jibreel Khazan), David Richmond, and Franklin McCain at the segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro on Feb. 1, 1960. The “A&T Four” quietly asked to be served. When staff refused, they stayed in their seats. The protest gained national attention, inspired hundreds of similar demonstrations, and helped push desegregation forward.
Honored at A&T, in HBCU football and beyond
Even in his later years, McNeil stayed tied to the HBCU where history was made. This past February, despite health challenges, he returned to A&T for the 65th anniversary sit-in commemoration. The audience at the annual breakfast honoring the A&T Four gave him a standing ovation.
Over the weekend, A&T’s football program honored him with a helmet decal recognizing the A&T Four. The gesture linked the university’s athletic tradition to its civil rights legacy. It showed how the A&T Four’s example continues to inspire new generations.
Chancellor James R. Martin II said McNeil’s impact still resonates on campus. “Joseph McNeil and his classmates inspired a nation with their peaceful protest, proving young people could change the world. The North Carolina A&T family mourns his loss but celebrates his long and incredible life.”
Military career and later life
After graduating from A&T, McNeil joined the U.S. Air Force. He served in Vietnam, rose through the ranks, and retired as a major general. He later worked with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The McNeil family called his life “a testament to the power of courage and conviction.” They said a tribute to honor him will be announced later.
Of the four who made history in Greensboro, Richmond died in 1990, McCain in 2014, and Khazan now lives in Massachusetts.
The Woolworth’s site is now the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, where visitors can see a restored lunch counter. A portion of the original counter also sits at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington.
McNeil is survived by his family, including son Joseph McNeil Jr. “His impact on the civil rights movement and his service to the nation will never be forgotten,” his son said.