Mary Church Terrell

Lifelong civil rights and women's rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954) helped end racial discrimination in restaurants and other public accommodations in the District. In 1950, Terrell and colleagues were refused service at the whites-only Thompson's Cafeteria at 725 14th Street. Invoking 19th century anti-discrimination laws, they persuaded the city to sue Thompson's. The case advanced to the Supreme Court, which in 1953 outlawed discrimination in DC's public accommodations in District of Columbia v. John R. Thompson Co., Inc. Terrell was also a founding member of the NAACP and NACW.

Washington, District of Columbia · United States