Employees at an industrial Memphis, Tennessee cotton gin filed a formal discrimination complaint against their former supervisor after he was caught on tape making racist remarks and creating a segregated environment in the workplace. The two African-American employees of Atkinson Cotton Warehouse, Untonia Harris and Marrio Mangrum, are speaking out after cell phone audio recorded at their workplace revealed their supervisor acted more like a cotton plantation overseer than a leader.
Harris and Mangum allege that they were called “monkeys,” denied use of the microwave because they were not white, and subjected to months of demeaning comments reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. Harris used his cellphone to record the supervisor’s comments to support his federal discrimination complaint. Harris and Mangrum said these types of comments were common during their workday and went on for months. Harris said he was tired of the comments and decided to record the audio as proof of the discrimination they faced on a day to day basis.
In an audio clip the supervisor, who has not been identified, is heard telling Harris that he could not use a water fountain. Harris then asks, “What they do when they catch me drinking your water?” The supervisor goes on to say, “That’s when we hang you.”
[Main image: Shutterstock]
In another clip, the supervisor defends his decisions by linking his actions to the past. “Back then, nobody thought anything about it,” he said. “Now everybody is made to where to think it’s bad.”
The two employees have filed a complaint with The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and it is being investigated. Attorneys familiar with the case told ABC News that most likely the Atkinson Cotton Warehouse will have to settle the case with the employees.
The management company that runs the warehouse, Federal Compress, said in a statement it has “zero tolerance” for discrimination and that the supervisor was no longer employed with the company.
Listen to the audio in the video below.
ABC US News | ABC International News