Judge falls victim to ‘Traveling While Black’ on American Airlines

& by Stephanie Gadlin, The Chicago Crusader & A retired Cook County judge says she was racially profiled during an American Airlines flight and now she is seeking civil damages against what she believes is a case of “travelling while Black.” On a first-class flight to Phoenix with her husband and elderly mother on February 10th, the Hon. Pamela Hill-Veal, says an attendant aboard Flight 2765 falsely accused her of slamming a bathroom door and disturbing other passengers. Though it was a morning, three-hour flight, and she noticed no sleeping passengers, she said the reprimand was puzzling. Later, when she used the lavatory again, the same flight attendant reprimanded her again, though she says she made no such disturbing noise. The accusation led to the judge being directed to “use the bathroom in the back of the plane” for the duration of the trip, she said. “I looked at him and told (the attendant) there were other people who used the restroom, and you didn’t say anything to those three White men about slamming the door,” Veal said. “The third time I went, (the attendant) followed me back to my seat and grabbed my shoulder, pointed his finger in my...