Federal lawsuit filed against Varsity Tavern in Fort Worth alleges racial discrimination


A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday against popular Fort Worth bar Varsity Tavern alleging the bar violated the law by refusing to serve a black man.

Stephen Acheampong of Philadelphia filed the suit after he says he was twice turned away in March 2018 for alleged dress code violations while non-black patrons were admitted wearing the same clothing.
Acheampong, who was a student in a pre-medical school, was visiting Fort Worth on spring break in March 2018 when he was turned away twice, according to the suit. He was told he couldn’t enter the bar because he was wearing Air Jordans, he said.
In 2017, Christopher Smith, who is black, tried to go in Varsity Tavern, but bouncers told him he could not come in because of his tan ankle boots, according to the lawsuit. His cousin was turned away for wearing ripped jeans although they could see white patrons inside of the bar wearing ripped jeans, the suit says.

A year later, Smith tried again and a bouncer looked at him, saw he was an African-American and told him to go, according to the lawsuit.
Officials at Varsity Tavern have attempted to defend their dress code policy as necessary to curb gang activity, according to the lawsuit.
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