Kim Ohaegbulam had just completed a tedious medical school project when he became a victim of racial discrimination. Ohaegbulam is a Ph.D. student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine where he studies new pathways for T cell costimulation and coinhibition and related diseases, according to the school’s website.
He was celebrating the completion of a class project with fellow students at Landmark Tavern in New York when a racist manager disrupted his life.
According to the New York Daily News, Ohaegbulam’s friends, who are students from Asia and India, went to the restroom without issue. But when Ohaegbulam attempted to use the restroom, he was stopped by the bar’s White manager who told him the restroom was only for paying customers.
Ohaegbulam explained to the manager that he was at the bar buying drinks for nearly an hour. The bar’s security guard also told the manager that he checked Ohaegbulam’s ID and allowed him to go inside. However, the manager refused to allow Ohaegbulam inside the restroom and told him to leave the premises. The manager called the police on Ohaegbulam and he was arrested for disorderly conduct for making “noise.” He was taken to the police station for questioning although he had receipts to prove that he’d patronized the bar.
This was an overt act of racism by the manager of Landmark Tavern. There have been numerous incidents in recent months where Blacks have faced discrimination at a bar or nightclub.
In September, a group of Black women in London were not allowed into DSTRKT nightclub because they were “too dark.” Omarion canceled an appearance at the club after hearing about the accusations.
Ohaegbulam has decided to hire a lawyer and sue the bar for racial discrimination.
