He had not, prior to this, thought of that discrimination, but now it burned him.
He returned to his school and before many days had passed he had called together all the male students.

He informed them that they ought to perfect a secret organization and have a password.

They all agreed to secrecy and Belton gave this as the pass word: "Equality or Death." He then told them that it was his ambition and purpose to coerce the white teachers into allowing the colored teacher to eat with them.
They all very readily agreed; for the matter of his eating had been thoroughly canvassed for a number of sessions, but it seemed as though no one dared to suggest a combination.

During slavery all combinations of slaves were sedulously guarded against, and a fear of combinations seems to have been injected into the Negro's very blood.
The very boldness of Belton's idea swept the students away from the lethargic harbor in which they had been anchored, and they were eager for action.

Belton was instructed to prepare the complaint, which they all agreed to sign.