Leslie R. Coates
Title
Leslie R. Coates
Description
In 1959, Fairfax County Resident Leslie R. Coates was summoned to serve as a Grand Juror on the Special Grand Juror of Inquest in the Fairfax County Circuit Court. The jurors went to the courthouse cafeteria at lunch time. When Coates sat down to eat, the cafeteria manager said he could not sit or eat in the dining area because of his race. Coates asked for a refund, but was refused. Coates’ subsequent actions led to the desegregation of the cafeteria.
Source
“Desegregating the Fairfax Courthouse Cafeteria." Found in the Archives no. 114. Circuit Court. Historic Records Center.
Collection
Citation
“Leslie R. Coates,” Fairfax County African American History Inventory, accessed October 24, 2026, https://fairfaxaahi.centerformasonslegacies.com/items/show/556.