Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/280564
B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 20 We are arguably the most misunderstood mar- ket in travel and tourism. Destinations either don't court African-Americans, or tempt us with trite and trivial promotions not understanding our wants, desires, history and full economic clout. What is it that makes the African-American market so difficult for so many in our industry to understand? And why, oh why do you con- tinue to treat us as if we're all the same – a monolithic group of low- income tourists? America's systemic cultural and racial divide along with lopsided media coverage has left many with the impression that African- Americans are poor, uneducated, driven by crime and lack the will to succeed. Nothing could be further from the truth. African-Americans are lawyers, doctors, politicians, business own- ers, educators, devoted to family, adventurous, sports-minded, thrill seekers, romantic, college-educated affluent and yes, even President of the United States. For some reason, many have bought into the narrative that the President and his family are an enigma because they are smart and edu- cated, like African-Americans can't all be smart, educated and affluent. It's truly sad for those in our industry who still subscribe to this jaded view of African-American life, for it is you and your destinations that are losing out on millions of dollars in lost revenue holding onto dated paradigms. For the uninitiated, here's a little history lesson that may help. For decades, and well after the Civil Rights Movement, African-Americans were not welcomed in many of the top resorts, attractions and golf courses. This wasn't just a southern phenomena, it was true across the country. As late as the 1960s, there were towns throughout America that enforced what became known as "sun- down laws." The law basically stated any nonwhites caught in their jurisdiction after sundown were subject to arrest or worse. An estimated 10,000 towns had these laws on the books from the Deep South to Levittown, N.Y. and Glendale, CA. It was just 24 short years ago as the sun was setting on the 20th Century that Augusta National, site of one of golf's major tournaments, The Master, admitted its first Black member. That might seem like it was eons ago to some, but not to those of the baby boomer generation and the Civil Rights Era. I went on my first cruise to the Caribbean in 1987. The ship had approxi- mately 2,500 passengers onboard, three of whom were African-American. Upon our return the only passengers who had their luggage inspected by customs and immigration were; you guessed it the three African-Americans. It was a total embarrassment to have our luggage rummaged through on a conveyor belt in front of the other disembarking passengers. Me, a United States military veteran had to suffer this indignity for a country I proudly served. My story is more common for the African-American traveler today than you might think. As a group we still have issues with hotels, restaurants and depar tment stores. You might remember what hap- pen at Barneys in New York late last year. On March 6, 2010, two African-American women were denied access to a hotel room at a Comfort Suites Hotel in Columbus, OH after they paid for the room. The desk manager observed several African-American men entering the room. The manager claimed they had a "no-party" policy prohibiting more than five people in a room. When police arrived, they observed a party of Whites in the room next door with more than five people. Eventually the desk manager admitted there was no such "no party" policy in place. That discrimi- nation case is winding its way through the courts. Here's a couple of takeaways from the systemic exclusion of Festival at Sea Cruisers WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS COST$NG YOU! BY MICHAEL BENNETT "sundown laws" •pg_12-21__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 4:38 PM Page 20