Ace Hardware employee files million-dollar suit after alleging manager hung a noose in warehouse on Juneteenth

Devondrick Hartsfield said his manager ‘was like, 'It's a joke, Juan left his backpack,'’ when he was shown the offensive display in June 2023

An Ace Hardware store employee has filed a million-dollar lawsuit in Texas after alleging that his manager hung a noose inside a warehouse on Juneteenth.

Devondrick Hartsfield, who is Black, revealed he lost his job as a delivery driver after complaining that his white manager tied a black backpack from a noose in 2023, which Hartsfield said was an act of racial discrimination, according to a lawsuit seen by the newspaper Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Hartsfield said his supervisor, a white man, claimed it was “a prank” because another staff member left it behind.

Despite receiving an apology, Hartsfield has now taken matters further. Juneteenth signifies the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S.

Hartsfield told CBS News at the time that he had worked at the store for four years and believed he was the only Black employee.

The lawsuit documents, filed Tuesday in Dallas County, Texas, just two days before this year’s Juneteenth, named the store as Van Marcke’s Ace Hardware in Arlington, Texas.

In the suit, Hartsfield’s manager, whom the Star-Telegram has not named, is alleged to have shown Hartsfield the noose as they walked through the warehouse.

Hartsfield returned to the warehouse later that day with a cashier as his witness to take pictures of the offensive display, which he later included in a report to the store’s human resources department.

The noose was still hanging in the warehouse the following day, according to the suit.

Hartsfield told CBS Fort Worth that he was afraid of his workplace.

"Before we walked to the door, he told me to look up, and I looked up, and when I looked back at him, he was like, 'It's a joke, Juan left his backpack,'" Hartsfield said.

"And when I looked back up, I saw the noose with the rope, and I was like, 'What the hell?'"

Hartsfield stated that after filing a discrimination complaint, he was suspended and replaced by an employee who was not Black, according to the suit.

Despite receiving an apology, Hartsfield has now taken matters further. Juneteenth signifies the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S. (Getty Images)

His lawyer is now pushing for a compensation payout.

“Mr. Hartsfield raised legitimate concerns about a racially hostile work environment,” Hartsfield’s lawyer Jason Smith said.

“Instead of addressing them responsibly, Ace Hardware’s management effectively ended his employment.”

At the time of the alleged display, the store posted a statement that read: "Van Marcke's Ace Hardware would like to assure you and the entire community that any allegations of racism or any discrimination are being thoroughly investigated and addressed with the utmost urgency. We take such incidents seriously and are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for both our employees and customers."

The Independent contacted Ace Hardware and Jason Smith for comment.