Nation They tried to eat at a whites-only lunch counter in 1961. They were sentenced to a chain gang. September 21, 2021 Wenei Philimon, USA TODAY Comments Off on They tried to eat at a whites-only lunch counter in 1961. They were sentenced to a chain gang. In 1961, the "jail-no-bail" movement cost no money and helped highlight how much Black people were willing to sacrifice for equal rights.