The Reaction in the Theater

While Viola proceeded to the main floor seating where black individuals were prohibited, the ticket-taker, named Prima Davis called out after Viola, and said "This is an upstairs ticket, you will have to go upstairs" (226). Viola was very confused and distraught considering she asked for a main-floor seating ticket when being purchased.

She returned to the ticket seller and asked to exchange her ticket. The ticket-seller proceeded to refuse Viola by stating, "I'm sorry but I'm not permitted to sell downstairs tickets to you people" (226). Viola then realized that she was not allowed to proceed to the main-floor seating solely based on her race. She then turned around, continued to walk into the theater and sat down and continued to watch the film. She was approached by the ticket-taker Prima Davis once again, along with him, a man named Harry MacNeil, who was known as "New Glasgow's most prominent 'show man'" (228). They then warned Viola and continued to tell her that she was not welcome or allowed to be sitting on the main floor seating. MacNeil than took her ticket, turned it over and read the conditions to Viola, "the right to refuse admission to any objectionable person"(228). Viola refused to budge. MacNeil than stormed out of the theater to retrieve a police officer...

Backhouse, Constance. 1999. Colour-Coded, A Legal History of Racism in Canada, 1900-1950. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.