The eleven members of the Sistahs on the Reading Edge Book Club have reached a settlement with the Napa Valley wine train company in California in their racial discrimination lawsuit, according to their lawyer.
The women said they were kicked off a train in August 2015 after other passengers complained that the group was too loud. The women say they were laughing but they were not being disruptive.
The lawsuit filed with the United States district court of Northern California accused the company of defamation and libel for publishing a social media post describing the women as being verbally and physically abusive to other passengers. The post was later removed and the Chief Executive of the Wine Train, Anthony Giaccio, issued a public apology to the women.
The women sued the company in October, seeking $11 million in damages for the violation of their civil rights.
Two of the women claimed they were fired from their jobs because of the defamatory statement made by the train company, according to the complaint.
"African-American adults are more likely to be shushed at, stared at, and kicked out of places where white people perceive that they do not fit," the complaint said.
"African-American adults are more likely to be shushed at, stared at, and kicked out of places where white people perceive that they do not fit," the complaint said.
The amount of their settlement was not disclosed.
Photo: Jose Carlos Fajardo / Bay Area News Group/TNS