Piedmont’s first Black family sues city over century-old racial discrimination

Piedmont's planned memorial will acknowledge the impact of racism in the 1920s on Sidney and Irene Dearing. (photo courtesy of the city of Piedmont) 

PIEDMONT — Descendants of Piedmont’s first Black residents are suing the city for the forced expulsion of Sidney Dearing and his family in 1925 — an era of white mobs, a KKK-aligned police chief, attempted bombings and a corrupt legal system in the city, according to allegations in the new lawsuit.

The family’s lawyer says the suit is an effort...