According to newspaper reports, an African-American man named Charles Julius Miller, and an unnamed African-American woman entered Café Neapolitan, a Pittsburgh restaurant, on August, 22, 1905. The couple was immediately refused service and ordered to leave. When Miller refused to exit, a “free-for-all” ensued, leaving many injured and resulting in approximately fifty arrests. Mr. Miller was among those hospitalized for his injuries.
Though many choose to view racial tension and violence as an exclusively southern problem, such riots and disturbances were commonplace occurrences throughout the country, where racial segregation and bias remained pervasive problems. As in most cases, the newspapers at the time reported the riot as having been caused by the African-American who dared enter an establishment where he did not belong.
“The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is proud to present A History of Racial Injustice – 2018 Calendar. America’s history of racial inequality continues to undermine fair treatment, equal justice, and opportunity for many Americans. The genocide of Native people, the legacy of slavery and racial terror, and the legally supported abuse of racial minorities are not well understood. EJI believes that a deeper engagement with our nation’s history of racial injustice is important to addressing present-day questions of social justice and equality.
William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters 