John A. Gray Sr. (1827-1911) was a restaurateur, hotelier, and government official in the United States. He served presidents and high government officials. In 1869 he opened a 3-story hotel and restaurant in Washington D.C.[1][2] U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him to Washington D.C.'s first legislative council.[3]
He had a successful restaurant serving a white clientele, but when he integrated it offering service to the area's African Americans it was "broken up". He went on to co-own Gray & Costley at 1313 E Street Northwest.[2]
References edit
- ^ Shields, David S. (October 26, 2017). The Culinarians: Lives and Careers from the First Age of American Fine Dining. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-40689-3 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C.: Capital Eats. Arcadia. 11 February 2009. ISBN 978-1-62584-581-8.
- ^ Douglass, Frederick (January 11, 2022). The Frederick Douglass Papers: Series Four: Journalism and Other Writings, Volume 1. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-24681-0 – via Google Books.