History Lesson

H/T Think Progress for covering the story of the Parks and Recreation Department of a city in Maryland which recently decided to hang three dummies from a tree as part of its Halloween program. The dummies’ “overstuffed shirts, blue jeans and white, faceless heads” sparked concern from residents who complained that “the figures evoke images of lynchings.” According to one resident:

“It instantly reminded me of the pictures of the lynchings that happened in the ’20s and ’30s in the United States,” he said. “I found it very offensive as a white person.”

The president of a local chapter of the NAACP, said “people are angry” about the display, noting that it’s a problem that they are “hanging on city property.” The local NAACP sent the mayor of the town an email asking for their “immediate removal.” his comments HERE

AAPP: I understand why people would be concerned.