Wendell Pierce Says His N.Y.C. Housing Application was Rejected Due to Racism

Wendell Pierce is claiming his housing utility for a Harlem, N.Y. residence was denied resulting from racism. 

The Elsbeth actor, 60, took to X to clarify the incident on Monday, June 3. 

“For those of you who don’t understand my righteous anger; I’m on 2 TV series, ELSBETH and RAISING KANAN,” he wrote. “I’m filming SUPERMAN. Two years ago,  I finished the fourth season of JACK RYAN. Last year I finished a run on Broadway in DEATH OF A SALESMAN.”

He continued, “Even with my proof of employment, bank statements and real estate holdings, a white apartment owner DENIED my application to rent the apartment…..in Harlem, of all places. Racism and bigots are real. There are those who will do anything to destroy life’s journey for Black folks. When you deny our personal experiences, you are as vile and despicable.”

Pierce mentioned that he determined to share his expertise on X after discovering out that an Atlanta-based funding agency’s grant program for Black girls was blocked by a federal appeals courtroom. 

The Tony nominee shared a hyperlink to The Wall Street Journal’s protection on the problem and wrote, “URGENT: While I appreciate the response to my own personal experience of discrimination in housing, I only mentioned it as an example of the insidious nature of bigotry. This court decision is profoundly more disturbing and injurious. CALL TO ACTION.”

In a unique put up on X, he added, “​​A private investment firm the Fearless Fund, has been blocked from investing in businesses owned by Black women. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, sided with a challenge to the grant program, arguing it violated a Reconstruction-era civil-rights law, known as Section 1981, that prohibits discrimination in contracts.”

The Suits alum opened up about experiencing the alleged discrimination throughout a June 4 interview with The Daily Beast. 

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“It was a call to action for me. It infuriated me, but I realized that that meant nothing if I didn’t try to shed light on it, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” he informed the outlet. 

PEOPLE reached out to a consultant for Pierce, however the actor declined to remark.