A Houston hotel is facing its second lawsuit, accused once again of unfairly targeting Black customers who have dined or entertained at its restaurant or bar.
The lawyer for the two plaintiffs, who have filed federal discrimination lawsuits, proclaimed, “Jim Crow is still alive, but apparently he’s sneakier” in the modern day.
The lawyer for Blessing Nwosu, 28, filed a civil rights violation claim with the United States District Court of the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division) on Friday, Oct. 20, against the Post Oak Hotel.
The complaint, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, alleges that Nwosu, a doctoral candidate at Houston Christian University and Christian children’s book author, was discriminated against because of her race and ethnicity by workers at the hotel, who embarrassed her by placing a shawl over her shoulders while she was seated at her table enjoying her company.
The lawsuit alleges that she was not the only woman in the establishment with her shoulders exposed. She took a selfie that showed, over her shoulder, a blond white woman with her shoulders out, wearing a spaghetti-strapped tank top.
On May 24, Nwosu and three of her friends arrived at the Bloom & Bee Restaurant in the Post Oak Hotel to ‘put together a birthday dinner.’ After she sat down, the claim details, the unthinkable happened.
“The restaurant host then came up behind Blessing and put a piece of cloth (shawl/scarf) on Blessing’s shoulders,” the lawsuit states. “Simultaneously, the host said that the cloth had to be put on a customer’s shoulder if their shoulders are showing. Blessing found her treatment to be very rude.”
During a news conference about the lawsuit, Nwosu shared her story.
“My back was actually facing the host that did it. I looked up like, ‘Oh my God.’ I was stricken with panic. I couldn’t believe it,” the former Miss Nigeria USA contestant said, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. “Everybody…
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