The Reality of Discrimination in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., has been referred to as 'The Colored Man’s Paradise,' a title that seems ironic given the city's treatment of colored people. My fifteen years in Washington have shown me that it is far from a paradise. As a colored woman, I could wander the streets at night without finding a place to stay, unless I knew someone who could recommend a boarding house. While other races could find hotel accommodations, colored individuals are often excluded. Additionally, I could walk from the Capitol to the White House, hungry and able to pay, yet find no restaurant that would serve me unless I sat behind a screen. The promise of freedom and equality remains unfulfilled.