(No caption)
Kid Rock's Made in Detroit restaurant. (Photo: Google Image)
A black former bartender at Kid Rock's Made in Detroit is suing the restaurant, alleging she was fired based on race after wearing her hair to work in an afro for the first time.
In a complaint filed in federal court Tuesday, Carinne Silverman-Maddox alleges she was suspended under the pretense of over-pouring a single drink, while white coworkers observed making the same mistake were able to keep their jobs.
The suspension allegedly occurred the first day Silverman-Maddox wore her hair natural, as opposed to straight or up like her white colleagues. She was formally terminated only after contacting the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the suit says.
This is the third time in recent months that a black employee at a newer, white-owned downtown or Midtown establishment has sued over racial discrimination. Another lawsuit filed this week chronicles a host of alleged racist activity by management at the Foundation Hotel, including staff selection based on skin color. In August, a former employee at the Midtown Founders Brewing location sued, alleging racial discrimination.
Both the Foundation and Founders have denied the allegations. Kid Rock's management company did not respond to a request for comment from the Free Press, which first reported the suit.
Kid Rock is no stranger to accusations of racism. His criticism of Colin Kaepernick and past use of Confederate flag imagery has made him a divisive figure in Detroit, where he was tapped in 2017 by the Ilitch family to help christen the Little Caesars Arena with a series of concerts. Hundreds protested outside the arena the night of his inaugural show.