Chap. 569.—An ACT requiring the separation of white and colored persons a
public halls, theatres, opera houses, motion picture shows and places o!
public entertainment and public assembiages; and to provide a penalty fot
violation of the provisions thereof. [H B 30:

Became a law without the Governor’s signature March 22, 1926.

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be
the duty of any person, persons, firm, institution, or corporation
operating, maintaining, keeping, conducting, sponsoring or permitting
any public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture show or any
place of public entertainment or public assemblage which is attendec
by both white and colored persons, to separate the white race and the
colored race, and to set apart and designate in each such public hall
theatre, opera house, motion picture show or place of public enter-
tainment or public assemblage, certain seats therein to be occupied
by white persons, and a portion thereof, or certain seats therein, to be
occupied by colored persons, and any such person, persons, firm, in-
stitution or corporation that shall fail, refuse or neglect to comply
with the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than one hundred
dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each offense.

2. All persons who fail, while in any public hall, theatre, opera
house, motion picture show or any place of public entertainment or
public assemblage, to take and occupy the seat or seats of other space
assigned to them in pursuance of the provisions of this act by the
manager, usher, or other person in charge of such public hall, theatre,
opera house, motion picture show or any place of public entertainment
or public assemblage, or whose duty is to take up tickets or collect the
admission from the guests therein, or who shall fail to obey the re-
quest of such manager, usher, or other person, as aforesaid, to change
their seats from time to time as occasion requires, in order that this
act may be complied with, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than ten dollars
nor more than twenty-five dollars for each offense. Furthermore
such person may be ejected from such public hall, theatre, opera house,
motion picture show or other place of public entertainment or public
assemblage, by any manager, usher, or ticket taker, or other person
in charge of such public hall, theatre, opera house, motion picture
show or any place of public entertainment or public assemblage, or by
any police ofhcer or any other conservator of the peace; and if such
person ejected shall have paid admission into said public hall, theatre,
opera house, motion picture show, or other place of public entertain-
ment or public assemblage, he shall not be entitled to a return of anv
part of the same.