▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁employed ▁there . ▁ ▁G illes pie ▁G olf ▁Cour se ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Gre ens bor o ▁constructed ▁a ▁golf ▁course ▁using ▁public ▁funds ▁- ▁ 6 5 ▁percent ▁of ▁which ▁were ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁– ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Works ▁Progress ▁Administration . ▁The ▁course ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Gre ens bor o ▁as ▁a ▁public ▁facility ▁exclus ively ▁for ▁whites . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁Sim kins ▁decided ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁city ▁council ' s ▁seg reg ation ▁rule ▁by ▁going ▁to ▁the ▁G illes pie ▁Park ▁course ▁to ▁play . ▁On ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁same ▁week ▁the ▁Mont gom ery ▁bus ▁boy c ott ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁Rosa ▁Park ' s ▁def iance ▁of ▁bus ▁seg reg ation , ▁he ▁and ▁five ▁others ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁G illes pie ▁Park ▁course ▁where ▁they ▁presented ▁green ▁fe es , ▁but ▁were ▁not ▁given ▁permission ▁to ▁play ▁– ▁they ▁were ▁told ▁the ▁G illes pie ▁Park ▁G olf ▁Cour se ▁was ▁a ▁private ▁course ▁for ▁members ▁only . ▁Sim kins ▁placed ▁sevent y - five ▁c ents , ▁the ▁green ▁fee ▁for ▁the ▁course , ▁on ▁the ▁counter ▁and ▁proceeded ▁to ▁the ▁course ▁after ▁ins isting ▁on ▁his ▁right ▁to ▁play . ▁The ▁manager ▁approached ▁Dr . ▁Sim kins ▁and ▁his ▁five ▁compan