Howard Univ Alums Open “The Moor”, A Hotel Paying Homage To Black Culture

Howard University alums have launch “The Moor”, an upscale 10-room hotel in New Orleans, Lousiana paying homage to black culture.

Howard University alums collab on business endeavor

According to blavity.com, while attending college Howard University alum Damon Lawrence worked in the hotel industry as a front desk agent, and decided he wanted to venture into entrepreneurship by owning hotels one day with one exception, his business would cater exclusively to black culture.

“Black culture leads American culture and American culture leads global culture, so [we] think it’s time a hotel property reflected the best of black culture,” said Lawrence.

The Moor hotel

Lawrence, along with his business partner and co-founder of Homage Hospitality, Marcus Carey (also a Howard alum), opened the doors to The Moor in New Orleans, Louisiana, this week.

The upscale 10-room hotel pays homage to the Moors of North Africa through its architecture aesthetic. (You can use the promo code “Launch” through July 4th for 60% off your stay.)

The duo plan to open locations where black “culture is thriving;” such as Washington, D.C., Brooklyn and Detroit.

The venture after The Moor Hotel

Their next venture is to open a 102-room property called The Town Hotel in Downtown Oakland by 2019. Even sooner, they plan to launch another property in the Treme section of New Orleans called The Freeman; it is known as the first place in the U.S. black people could purchase property.

“We want to go everywhere that culture exists and thrives, so there’s plenty on the plate”, Lawrence says.