Halloween display featuring brown gloves and a skull instead of a head hanging from a noose has been called “racist” by Georgia residents, who called the spooky decoration a “modern-day lynching.”
- A Georgia resident’s Halloween decorations have been criticized as “racist.”
- The display appears to show a person hanging from a noose by their neck
- Residents have expressed their outrage, but the homeowner says the kids love it
A Georgia resident’s Halloween decorations have sparked outrage in a neighborhood where residents have called their front yard decorations “racist.”
The home on Cassville Road in Bartow County, about 43 miles from Atlanta, depicts a person with an animal skull over his head hanging from a tree with a noose around his neck.
Between 1882 and 1930, the American South experienced an epidemic of deadly mob violence that claimed more than 3,000 victims, the vast majority of whom were African American.
More than 450 lynchings were recorded in Georgia alone, adding to the bitter taste in the mouths of locals who came into close proximity with the gruesome display.
Locals criticized the display, but the family who live in the house don’t believe they did anything wrong, despite the area’s history.
When Christol Stevenson first saw the human-like doll hanging from the tree, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“The first thing I thought of was a modern-day lynching,” she told Fox5 Atlanta.
“To me it’s definitely racist.” “It’s very offensive to the black community.”
A Georgia resident’s Halloween decorations have been criticized as “racist.”
The display appears to show a person hanging from a noose by their neck
Residents have expressed their outrage but homeowner Rachel (pictured) says the children love it
Their fears are echoed throughout the area, with many outraged that it appears to be a black man.
Dexter Benning, president of the Bartow County NAACP, said the depiction crossed the line and found it “offensive.”
“It really meant and implied that it was a person and that it was a person of color.”
“Bartow County has a history of executions.” Doing that is simply not appropriate.
“Black people have had to endure so much in this country and portraying someone as a being [hanged] “This is not a place we want to be in 2023.”
Randy Livsey, a local pastor, said he hopes the family takes the concerns seriously.
When a neighbor took down the Halloween “decorations,” the family immediately put them back up
Their fears are echoed throughout the area, with many outraged that it appears to be a black man
Stevenson said she thought she was witnessing a “modern-day lynching” as she drove past the exhibit
“If you really want to celebrate Halloween and not be offensive, you shouldn’t have a problem taking it off, hanging it around your waist if you want, or just hanging something else up.”
Homeowner Rachel has defended the display, saying her children “love Halloween” and both loved Mr Creepy in the Tree.
She denies that the figure is intended to represent a person of color, even though the doll wears brown gloves and a black T-shirt.
“It’s just the spare clothes my husband had that he was going to throw away anyway.” “No other reason than that,” Rachel told WSB-TV.
“Tons of people drove by, took pictures, beeped and gave me a thumbs up to say this is great.” But then other people call the police and say it’s racist.
“I was just trying to make a Halloween decoration, something spooky for the kids and the adults to look at.” [and] enjoy.’
Locals in the area reported the complaint to police at least twice.
Officers visited the family home but concluded they had not broken the law.