Skip to Main Content

How Mary Church Terrell Beat Jim Crow in D.C. Restaurants

How Mary Church Terrell challenged racial segregation in D.C. restaurants -- and won.

Aired 06/19/2023 | Rating NR

Boundary Stones

How Mary Church Terrell Beat Jim Crow in D.C. Restaurants

Special | 2m 36s

How Mary Church Terrell challenged racial segregation in D.C. restaurants -- and won.

In the 1940s, civil rights activists discovered that the key to ending segregation in D.C.’s restaurants might be hiding in plain sight at the library. Civil Rights researchers discovered two old D.C. laws which made it a crime for restaurants to refuse service based on race. As Jim Crow tightened its grip, the laws had faded from memory but Mary Church Terrell was determined to bring them back.

Aired 06/19/2023 | Rating NR

Boundary Stones is a local public television program presented by WETA

Boundary Stones

How Mary Church Terrell Beat Jim Crow in D.C. Restaurants

Special | 2m 36s

In the 1940s, civil rights activists discovered that the key to ending segregation in D.C.’s restaurants might be hiding in plain sight at the library. Civil Rights researchers discovered two old D.C. laws which made it a crime for restaurants to refuse service based on race. As Jim Crow tightened its grip, the laws had faded from memory but Mary Church Terrell was determined to bring them back.

Aired 06/19/2023 | Rating NR

How to Watch Boundary Stones

Boundary Stones is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.

Boundary Stones is a local public television program presented by WETA

Sign in with Email

or

Continue with GoogleContinue with FacebookContinue with Apple

By creating an account, you acknowledge that PBS may share your information with our member stations and our respective service providers, and that you have read and understand the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Are you sure you want to remove null from My List?