The Yates & Milton Drug Store was a special gathering place for students who attended institutions in the Atlanta University Center (Atlanta University, Clark College, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Morris Brown College). It was also a memorable place for Roslyn Pope, a student at Spelman College who had just returned from a study abroad trip in Paris. At the store, she was approached by students Julian Bond and Lonnie King, two leaders that would encourage Pope to join their movement called the Atlanta Student Movement.

As a member of the Atlanta Student Movement, February of 1960 would be historic for Walton. She wrote “An Appeal for Human Rights,” a document that stated the civil rights which African Americans deserved such as education, voting, and even medical treatment. With her document, not only did Pope protest unequal treatment, but her efforts also helped the sit-in movement work toward desegregating the city. Pope discovered how—even as a student—she could create memorable change in her city’s government by advocating for her community.