| e hit movie “Remember the | | | | Washington Avenue in Houston four times, with |
| Titans” starring Denzel Washington, a | | | | the same result, racism and indifference. The |
| recently integrated football team riding an | | | | venue that broke the camel’s back is a |
| improbable winning streak cruised the Alexandria, | | | | place called Sawyer Park. |
| Va. streets celebrating a huge victory. | | | | Initially, I attended this restaurant with a group of |
| The character Ronnie “Sunshine” | | | | White friends from high school and had a |
| Bass played by Kip Pardue offered to treat his | | | | wonderful time. Although I knew the venues on |
| teammates Petey Jones (Donald Faison) and Blue | | | | this strip were exclusive such as the nightspot |
| Stanton (Earl C. Poitier) to dinner following the | | | | Reign, I did not experience any discrimination at |
| game. The proprietor of the restaurant refused | | | | the restaurant the entire night. They played a |
| service to the trio because two were Black, | | | | mixture of popular music from hard rock to hits |
| causing an altercation with the White player (Bass) | | | | by Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. |
| who assumed that race relations had improved in | | | | I became so impressed with Sawyer Park that |
| the town by 1971, the year the story took place. | | | | when several friends wanted to hang out on May |
| Approximately 40 years later, in a city that | | | | 7, I suggested that we attend the restaurant and |
| boasts being the 4th largest in the United States, | | | | bar. I arrived early with my sister, before any of |
| it is amazing that very little has changed as | | | | the other guests arrived but was basically refused |
| Washington Avenue in Houston has begun to | | | | service by the waitresses who ignored our |
| bustle with business, but those businesses seem | | | | presence until we voiced our complaints, although |
| to be reserved for non-Black customers only. | | | | they had no problem serving the other (Hispanic |
| Like Bass, many African Americans including | | | | and White) patrons sitting beside us, despite the |
| myself, falsely believed that race relations had | | | | fact that we were there before some of them |
| improved significantly, but the old battles of the | | | | arrived. |
| Civil Rights Movement remain relevant in | | | | Immediately we demanded our money back and |
| neighborhoods across the country. | | | | left the restaurant. In addition, I have heard of |
| Washington Avenue in Houston consists of a strip | | | | countless other racial incidents that have occurred |
| of restaurants, wine bars and clubs in the Heights | | | | on Washington Avenue in Houston from |
| neighborhood north of downtown Houston. The | | | | acquaintances getting arrested for jaywalking and |
| area which has seen a revival in recent years has | | | | prostitution simply for walking from one club to |
| received praise from prestigious publications such | | | | the next; to clubs mysteriously closing for private |
| as the New York Times and Texas Monthly as | | | | parties despite the doormen not checking to see |
| the place to be in the city. | | | | if those people were a part of the private party. |
| Although I do not consider myself a person | | | | In “Remember the Titans,” Black |
| addicted to night life, living in Louisiana for four | | | | patrons were allowed to order food from the |
| years during college made me very fond of | | | | restaurant but were forced to pick up their order |
| Bourbon Street, and I always believed that | | | | from the kitchen and not allowed to sit in the |
| Houston needed a centralized location where | | | | restaurant alongside White customers. At Sawyer |
| residents and visitors could mingle on the | | | | Park, we were forced to pick up our food from |
| weekend and enjoy an entertaining night on the | | | | the bar, while White and Hispanic customers were |
| town. | | | | brought their order by a waitress. |
| I had heard so much about Washington Avenue in | | | | Nonetheless, in 2010 I believe that any business |
| Houston that I wanted to experience it for | | | | owner should be able to refuse service if they |
| myself. Immediately, I realized that African | | | | choose to like the venues on Washington Avenue |
| Americans were singled out on this street and | | | | in Houston, just be up front about it so the |
| their business was not wanted by the proprietors | | | | demographic (African Americans) that you want |
| of many of the area’s businesses. | | | | to exclude can know about it and can take their |
| Over the past six months I have cruised | | | | money to businesses where they are respected. |