The Civic Interest Group of Baltimore (CIG) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) took direct action by leading freedom rides and sit-ins. The protests began to spread across the eastern seaboard and in January of 1962, a march led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Cambridge spurred an outbreak of police brutality against the demonstrators. The mistreatment angered many black activists and the Cambridge Nonviolent Action Committee (CNAC) was formed to continue the protests that SNCC had started. ​​​​​​​

The demonstrations continued through the following months and Richardson became the leader of CNAC in March of 1963. During her first month as leader, a meeting was arranged between CNAC, CIG and local officials. The goal of the meeting was to find a compromise that could end the protests while improving the living conditions for black people in Cambridge by integrating its institutions. However, the white elected officials did not share the same views or concerns as the activists and the meeting ended in Richardson’s arrest as well as the arrest of 16 other organizers, escalating the situation to a breaking point.