▁being ▁heard . ▁Her ▁platform ▁centered ▁on ▁school ▁improvements ▁rather ▁than ▁direct ▁references ▁to ▁race . ▁The ▁decision ▁to ▁run ▁was ▁particularly ▁fue led ▁by ▁the ▁district ' s ▁solution ▁to ▁the ▁over c row ding ▁of ▁black ▁high ▁schools ▁not ▁as ▁integration , ▁but ▁rather ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁black ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁a ▁small ▁area ▁of ▁South ▁Saint ▁Petersburg . ▁Although ▁she ▁did ▁not ▁win ▁the ▁election , ▁she ▁received ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁with ▁only ▁ 3 , 8 0 0 ▁black s . ▁ ▁C . ▁B ette ▁W imb ish ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁did ▁not ▁give ▁up . ▁They ▁continued ▁to ▁stay ▁involved ▁in ▁numerous ▁attempts ▁at ▁des eg reg ation ▁of ▁schools ▁and ▁l unch ▁coun ters . ▁B ette ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁two ▁days ▁of ▁sit - ins ▁in ▁early ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁W imb ish ▁and ▁Gib bs ▁Jr . ▁College ▁student ▁The odore ▁F loyd ▁sat ▁in ▁at ▁the ▁William ▁Henry ▁l unch ▁counter ▁with ▁the ▁hopes ▁of ▁encourag ing ▁city ▁leader ▁to ▁form ▁b ira cial ▁comm itte es . ▁However , ▁the ▁black ▁activ ists ▁were ▁refused ▁service ▁and ▁the ▁l unch ▁coun ters ▁immediately ▁closed ▁to ▁avoid ▁potential ▁controvers ies . ▁In ▁Florida , ▁propriet ors ▁operating ▁public ▁accommod ations ▁were ▁given ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁serve ▁anyone ▁that ▁they ▁pleased . ▁No ▁local ▁or ▁state ▁laws ▁existed ▁that ▁specifically ▁prevent ed ▁white ▁establish ments ▁from ▁serving ▁black s .(