Civil-rights organization formed in 1960, following the success of the sit-ins. Ella Baker, executive director of SCLC, convened a group of student activists at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. Encouraging them to maintain their independence of SCLC, Baker helped establish one of the most radical organizations created by the Civil Rights movement. At first including white and black members, the organization remained largely committed to the King vision of non-violence, supporting the freedom rides and carrying out registration drives. With the election of Stokely Carmichael as chairperson to replace John L. Lewis, the organization became increasingly radical. Carmichael adopted Black Power as his slogan, leading many white members to leave the organization. Following the election of H. Rap Brown, SNCC was renamed the Student National Coordinating Committee, shedding its last connections with the civil-rights movement. Under Brown’s leadership the organization became virtually defunct.