March 7, 1964: 60 years ago, March 7 1964, the Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination won [...]

60 years ago, March 7 1964, the Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination won a major victory against the SF Hotel Employers Association. After a 20-hour sit-in at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel, which saw 167 demonstrators jailed, the Association agreed to hire non-white workers

The Ad Hocs were formed by members of the Du Bois Clubs, a Communist Party-based youth group. Inspired by CORE and SNCC, they led demonstrations and sit-ins against discriminatory hiring practices at several Bay Area businesses, beginning with Mel’s Drive-In in San Francisco

The sit-in was led by Tracy Sims, Roy Ballard, Michael Myerson, and Mark Comfort. After the Ad Hocs dissolved due to tension between CP and Progressive Labor Party-affiliated members, Comfort formed the Oakland Direct Action Committee, which directly inspired the Black Panthers