An ex-employee says Fred used 'N-word' in front of Donald, who 'agreed'

Two black women say they were rejected for Trump housing in 60s & 70s

Two black Americans who allegedly suffered racial discrimination when applying for apartments owned by Donald Trump's father Fred have spoken out against the Republican candidate.

Maxine Brown and Annette Gandy Fortt both applied for New York apartments owned by Trump Management and were turned down - because, they say, of their race.

And according to a Trump Management employee, not only was Donald Trump working for his father's company at the time, but he was fully aware of the company's racist policies, NBC News reported.

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Rejected: Annette Gandy Fortt, 72, says she was turned down for an apartment in 1973 by Trump Management, but a white human rights tester was rented an apartment the next day

Bosses: Donald Trump and father Fred (both pictured in 1987) were both at the company in the 1960s and 1970s, when Trump Management allegedly unfairly rejected black applicants

Brown, now 86, had applied for the Queens apartment in 1963, months before the Civil Rights Act was enforced, and says that she encountered prejudice from the moment she stepped forward for an interview.

'They asked me what kind of job did I have, and they were surprised that I was a nurse,' she told the channel.

But despite having an upstanding career, the then-33-year-old found herself being rejected. And she says she's certain why: 'I was turned away because of my color.'

Brown's application was handled by Stanley Liebowitz, now 89, who recalls it being a 'beautiful application' suitable for the company.

He told NBC that he spoke to Fred Trump in front of a then-17-year-old Donald Trump about Brown's case.

'Mr Trump and his son Donald came into the office,' he said. 'I asked what I should do with this application because she's calling constantly.

'And his response to me was: "You know I don't rent to the N-word. Put it in a drawer and forget about it."

'Donald Trump was right alongside his father when I was instructed to do that.'

Turned away: Maxine Brown, now 86, applied for a Trump Management apartment in Queens in 1963, but says she was turned away because of her race

'N-word': Stanley Liebowitz, now 89, told NBC that he was told by Fred not to rent to black people, including Brown. He says Fred used the N-word, and Donald Trump agreed

He added that Donald Trump 'shook his head, in, uh, that's the way it's supposed to be. Agreeing with his father.'

Ten years later, Fortt applied for a Trump-owned apartment. Fred Trump was still chairman of Trump Management at that point, and Donald Trump still at his side - now as company president.

Fortt, now 72, says she was told by the super at the apartment block that there were no apartments for rent. She was turned down two times.

She complained to the New York City Human Rights Commission, which - according to court documents - sent a white person with a similar resume to the apartment. That person was accepted.

'I was black. I was not wanted,' Fortt told NBC.

'I don't think that it looked good in their estimation to have black people living in their facility.'

Unwanted: Fortt (pictured in the 1970s) called in the Human Rights Commission to test her case, and kicked off what eventually became a federal lawsuit against Trump Management

Sheila Hoyt-Morse, a former Human Rights Commission tester who investigated a Brooklyn apartment building in a separate case, has also spoken out against Trump Management.

In a video for Correct the Record, a pro-Hillary Clinton group, Hoyt-Morse relates how she would go to apartments that black people had been turned away from and apply herself.

On one occasion in the 1970s, she said, a black man was turned away from a Trump-owned apartment that had a vacancy sign in the window.

The super told the man that he must have forgotten to take the sign down - but it was still there the next day, when Hoyt-Morse investigated.

The super was happy to show her around, she said. 'It was amazing - he was really trying to sell the apartment,' she said. And when she said she would take it, he was 'thrilled.'

She and a Human Rights Commissioner returned the next day and were told by the super that his boss had told her what to do - and the bosses in question were Donald and Fred Trump.

Tester: Sheila Hoyt-Morse was a Human Rights Commission tester, and says she was told by a super at one building that he was told by Fred Trump directly not to rent to black people

The Human Rights Commission took up Annette Gandy Fortt's case, which ultimately became part of a two-year federal lawsuit against Trump Management.

Donald Trump was present in the court case, alongside a Trump Management lawyer.

In the ensuing battle Donald Trump took part in character assassination, accused the government of forcing him to accept 'welfare recipients' and filed a $100million counter-suit, the New York Times reported.

Trump Management ultimately signed a consent decree which admitted no fault but agreed to terms aimed at preventing discrimination in their properties.

Fortt was given a Trump property as part of the settlement, and says that's all she wanted - not money or infamy.

She also says she was spurred into speaking out now after seeing Trump dismiss remarks about the federal lawsuit in the first presidential debate on September 26.

'We along with many, many other companies throughout the country - it was a federal lawsuit - were sued,' he said.

'We settled the suit with zero - with no - admission of guilt. It was very easy to do. But they sued many people.'

Settled: Donald Trump (pictured left in 1978) was manager of Trump Management when it was sued in the 70s. The company settled in a no-fault agreement in that case

However, the lawsuit was filed solely against Trump Management, NBC reported.

'It feels like the time has come to tell the story,' Fortt told NBC. 'When Donald Trump says that they didn't admit guilt - that may be true, but the fact that there was guilt there had to come out.'

She added: 'I think it's important that history not be erased.'

In a statement to NBC, Donald Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks said: 'There is absolutely no merit to the allegations.

'This suit was brought as part of a nationwide inquiry against a number of companies, and the matter was ultimately settled without any finding of liability and without any admission of wrongdoing whatsoever.'

The 1973 lawsuit, which was settled without liability was filed solely against Trump Management.

Another class action discrimination suit, naming Fred Trump and several other landlords, was filed in 1982, and settled out of court.

And in regard to Leibowitz's remarks, Hicks simply said: 'This is total nonsense.'