Ka cika wannan magana: Bayan sun sauke karatu daga makarantar sakandare, iyalin McNeil suka ƙaura zuwa Birnin New York don neman aiki mai kyau. A cikin kaka, McNeil ya shiga Jami'ar Jihar Carolina ta Arewa da Jami'ar Fasaha a kan cikakken tallafin karatu. Ya bambanta da al'ummar arewacin da ke buɗewa, McNeil ya sami wahalar rayuwa a cikin kudancin da aka raba. A North Carolina A&amp;T ne McNeil ya hadu da wasu sabbin dalibai uku: Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, da David Richmond, kuma daga baya za a san su da
Ƙungiyar Greensboro 4. Su huɗun sun jawo hankalin juna domin suna zama a bene ɗaya na ɗakin kwanan dalibai kuma suna da sha'awa iri ɗaya. Bayan ya halarci wani waƙoƙi tare da abokansa, McNeil ya ɗauki mataki domin ya lura cewa wasu cikin masu sauraro ba sa la'akari da mutane kuma suna da fahariya. A wannan lokacin ne McNeil da takwarorinsa suka so yin aiki don mayar da martani ga halin da ba a yarda da shi ba a wasan kide-kide. McNeil ya fara dubawa da karanta littattafai da yawa game da farfaganda da hasashen ra'ayoyi daga ɗakin karatu, daya, musamman, shine "The New Negro".