After being made to wait while five white patrons who came in after him were served, George “T.” Johnson opened Mr. T’s as a store catering to African American clientele. Taverns in Rockville were the only businesses allowed to remain segregated under an exemption to the 1962 city law against discrimination in public places. Mr. T’s initially sold ice cream, lunches, and candy, and in the evening it became a popular local drinking establishment. George Johnson welcomed customers of all races, who came in part because of his popularity and his participation in Rockville politics. He was the first African American member of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.
