" Frequently Asked Questions: OAH and the Adam's Mark Hotels Updated 7 March 2000, 10:40 EST5) Aren't the charges against Adam's Mark unproven allegations at this point?
Since 1991, the Adam's Mark chain has been sued at least seven times over charges of racial discrimination, including the two most recent lawsuits filed by the NAACP and the U.S. Department of Justice."
The question that I have is why didn't the FA research this? My suspicion is that they weren't interested. If this is the case, it doesn't speak well for the organization.
If it was short-sighted on their part and it is a costly mistake, the organization might still be in tact because there would be groundswell support for it if if did not cross the NAACP picket line.
I'm reminded of the "Hootenanny" TV show which refused Pete Seeger, the man who invented the word "hootenanny" as a folksing.
If I were a black entertainer I would be reluctant to appear at the FA conference in this hotel chain. As it is, I would personally not go there.
The NAACP is not a radical knee-jerk organization. It has a venerable history and has been accused of being conservative at times. This boycott is not a so-called "politically correct" issue. Even though the boycott was lifted from time to time, it is incumbent on the FA to have researched this hotel chain as to it's policies on racial discrimination.
It's too late for them to cry out "who knew?" They should have.
My advice to the FA. Cut your losses, regroup as an organization of integrity that honors African-Americans and try again. This time, update that mission statement.
Frank