I wonder if the reason Pappas didn't want to serve them was not due to prejudice but because he knew he might get arrested or have his business ruined?

At any rate, this is really sorta insane.

I read somewhere that one reason the Civil Rights movement had many white supporters - many whites who served with blacks in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc., would come back and feel the injustice of not being able to eat a meal with someone who had their back against the enemy. It really brought things into focus.

If you can trust a man to have your back but can't eat with that man, then what does that say?