What started as an innocent twist on the classic “White Christmas” song quickly turned into a scandal for a Massachusetts historical society.
The Dorchester Historical Society (DHS) has publicly apologized since, as their card for their holiday open house made more than a few people raise their eyebrows. It all began when the group sent out an invitation to their holiday open house, with a picture of their building on the front, captioned with, “We’re dreaming of a white Dorchester.”
The play on the Bing Crosby 1941 classic caused a public outcry, taking the copy as a racially charged note. The society is probably dreaming less of a white Christmas at this point, and more of a low-profile Christmas.
The DHS released a statement of apology and retraction of the card following the outcry.
“We are very truly sorry about our graphic used for this event. This was an unfortunate oversight on our part and the event photograph has been removed from our social media. We were simply changing the words to the classic Christmas carol and did not think it through properly,” the DHS wrote on Twitter.
We are very truly sorry about our graphic used for this event. This was an unfortunate oversight on our part and the event photograph has been removed from our social media. We were simply changing the words to the classic Christmas carol and did not think it through properly. https://t.co/2Anki4JF6N
— Dorchester Historical Society (@DotHistorical) November 26, 2018
“Thank you for alerting us to this matter as we certainly do not want to project that message, even if completely accidentally. Again, thank you,” the DHS added in another tweet.
Thank you for alerting us to this matter as we certainly do not want to project that message, even if completely accidentally. Again, thank you.
— Dorchester Historical Society (@DotHistorical) November 26, 2018
A few locals expressed their opinions to WSB-TV, saying that the group should have been more careful with their wording.
“With everything going on today, with the white Christmas, they could have chosen better wording,” Lavesha Stinson, a local resident, told the station.
“It could go either way. It could depend on how you take it. Some people can’t wait for a white Christmas, so it would all just depend on how you take it,” Jessica Stephens added.
In a comment to the Boston Globe, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh called it an “honest mistake.”
“You know, they’re good people, the Dorchester Historical Society. They certainly didn’t mean anything mean or vicious or racist about it,” Walsh said. “I felt really bad when I saw it last night because they do a lot of good work. They’re a nonprofit that doesn’t have a lot of money…and I honestly think that they made an honest mistake.”
Others, however, were not as forgiving.
Twitter user Liza Julia wrote: “The racist ;White Dorchester’ christmas card is even worse when you remember people of color are being gentrified out of Dorchester at alarming rates. Let’s support communities fighting to keep Dorchester multi-racial like @DotNot4Sale, @CityLife_Clvu, @AARWboston, & @DSNI_org.”
The racist "White Dorchester" christmas card is even worse when you remember people of color are being gentrified out of Dorchester at alarming rates. Let's support communities fighting to keep Dorchester multi-racial like @DotNot4Sale, @CityLife_Clvu, @AARWboston, & @DSNI_org https://t.co/JDvUi6MH5K
— Liza Julia (@lizaveta9) November 28, 2018
Yet not everyone agreed with the DHS retraction and apology.
One Twitter user named Julissa wrote, “Shouldn’t have to apologize! People needs to stop being so negative about everything. I didn’t see anything wrong with it.”
Shouldn’t have to apologize!
People needs to stop being so negative about everything. I didn’t see anything wrong with it.— julissa (@jliss1979) November 27, 2018
“What has the world come to when you are not talking about anything other than snow,” another user, Rusty Sloat, wrote. “A play on words from an old Christmas classic. I say every year that I want a white Christmas. If people are that sensitive they need to toughen the hell up.”
What has the world come to when you are not talking about anything other than snow. A play on words from an old Christmas classic. I say every year that I want a white Christmas. If people are that sensitive they need to toughen the hell up.
— Rusty Sloat (@RustySloat) November 28, 2018
Since retracting their invitation, the DHS has issued a new invitation, as reported by the Globe.
The invitation now reads “May your Dorchester days be merry and bright.”
(H/T: WBZ-TV)