Cotton Warehouse Supervisor Allegedly Called Black Workers 'Monkeys;' Barred From Water Fountain Because They're Not White
Almost like a scene pulled from a slave movie, a cotton warehouse supervisor from Memphis, Tennessee, has been accused of calling his black subordinates "monkeys" and instructing them not to drink from the office water fountain or use the microwave because they are not white.
The allegations form part of a complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by Antonio Harris and Marrio Mangrum against the Atkinson Cotton Warehouse, according to a WREG report.
"He [supervisor] would be like, 'You need to think like a white man," explained Mangrum.
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"He pulled his pants down in front of us and told us to kiss his white tail," added Harris.
Harris explained that he decided to take action by using his phone to record some of the abuse after months of feeling powerless.
In one instance, Harris recorded his attempt at drinking some water from the office fountain.
"Hey!" the supervisor says in the recording.
"What?" replied Harris.
"I need to put a sign here that says 'white people only.'"
In another instance, Harris recorded an exchange between him and his supervisor when he tried to use the microwave.
"I am going to use the microwave," said Harris in the recording.
"Hell no!" the supervisor responded.
"Why can't I use the microwave, man?" asked Harris.
"Because you are not white."
"For real?"
"As a white man, we don't even let Larry use it."
Mangrum explained that Larry is another black worker who has been on the job for about one or two decades.
The supervisor also discusses keeping the races separate in the recording.
"Back then, nobody thought anything about it. Now everybody is made to where to think it's bad," he said.
Later on during the recording, Harris asks his supervisor what would happen if he is caught drinking from the office water fountain, and he is told: "That's when we hang you."
