the read's store in downtown baltimore (at lexington st. and howard st.) was the site of one of the country's first anti-segregation sit-ins. students at morgan state university joined up with a local chapter of the congress on racial equality (core) to conduct a demonstration on january 20, 1955. the event was peaceful and lasted for only half an hour. according to dr. helena hicks, a participant in the protest and now a commissioner on the baltimore city commission for historical and architectural preservation, the protest consisted of seven people who decided mostly spontaneously to enter the drug store. the naacp confirmed that this was the first sit-in of its kind.