EAST ST. LOUIS — A biracial couple and their child were allegedly told to sit in the back of the bus by a Greyhound employee in Montgomery, Ala., who allegedly said "that's where we make all the white folks sit."
Dakin Ellegood and Lindsey Myers filed a complaint April 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Jewell Gilliam-West and Greyhound Lines Inc., alleging racial discrimination, breach of contract and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
According to their complaint, the plaintiffs are a biracial couple. Myers is Caucasian while Ellegood is "mixed raced and of African-American appearance." They claim they purchased Greyhound bus tickets on April 18, 2019, to travel from Panama City Beach, Fla., to Springfield with their child.
The plaintiffs allege Myers, who was seven months pregnant, and their son attempted to transfer to a new bus in Montgomery, Ala., when Gilliam-West told Myers that she had to sit in the back of the bus. The plaintiffs claim that when Ellegood finally entered the bus, Gilliam-West did not realize that he and Myers were a couple and told him "that's where we make all the white folks sit."
The plaintiffs allege that after questioning Gillam-West about her comments, she claimed she wanted Myers to ride in the back because she did not want to hear the baby cry.
According to the suit, Gilliam-West then called security and had the plaintiffs removed from the bus. The plaintiffs claim Greyhound then arranged for a cab to take them to the next stop and that during the ride, Myers began to suffer "severe" stress and anxiety and began to have contractions.
The plaintiffs seek compensation of $1 million, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by attorney Stephen Richards.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:21-CV-00391-GCS