Racist Juneteenth sign at a Maine insurance agency sparks backlash online : NPR

Residents in Millinocket, Maine, say they’re outraged after an insurance coverage company displayed a racist signal remarking on the brand new Juneteenth federal vacation.

Lisa Groelly/Alura Stillwagon

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Lisa Groelly/Alura Stillwagon

Residents in Millinocket, Maine, say they’re outraged after an insurance coverage company displayed a racist signal remarking on the brand new Juneteenth federal vacation.

Lisa Groelly/Alura Stillwagon

Residents within the city of Millinocket, Maine, say they’re outraged and disillusioned after a neighborhood insurance coverage company displayed a racist signal remarking on the Juneteenth vacation.

“Juneteenth ~it is no matter… We’re closed. Take pleasure in your fried rooster & collard greens,” the signal said in a big font. It was taped to the entrance of Harry E. Reed Insurance coverage Company in Millinocket on Monday. The small city sits about three hours exterior Portland and a few 50 miles away from the U.S.-Canada border.

A picture of the racist signal was shared on-line Monday, gaining the eye of 1000’s throughout social media. Millinocket resident Alura Stillwagon initially posted the picture on Fb with a caption studying, “The racism in Millinocket is actual.”

Stillwagon, who first heard in regards to the signal from her mom, Lisa Groelly, says she needed to do a double take when seeing a picture of it.

“I needed to learn it greater than as soon as as a result of I believed it was one thing [my mom] noticed on Fb. However when she mentioned it was a enterprise [in town], I used to be instantly disgusted,” Stillwagon advised NPR. “Individuals have this concept that Maine is not very racist and that it is fairly liberal. However up north, it is not like that in any respect.”

Groelly, who lives and works in Millinocket, says when her buddy advised her in regards to the signal displayed exterior the enterprise, she was speechless, pondering it should have been a joke.

“I am hoping that folks will get up and understand that this isn’t OK. Individuals have to know their historical past. They should understand that there was a number of struggling and that this vacation is warranted — and it is wanted,” mentioned Groelly in an interview with NPR.

The insurance coverage company has confronted heavy criticism on-line, with individuals leaving one-star evaluations on Google and Yelp, a few of which have since been eliminated. One assessment written on Yelp says: “@Progressive – is that this actually an organization that you really want representing you? Or is Progressive an organization that believes in racism?”

Each Harry E. Reed Insurance coverage Company and Progressive insurance coverage firm didn’t reply to NPR’s request for remark.

Steve Golieb, chair of the Millinocket City Council, launched a press release on Tuesday condemning the signal.

“It’s deeply saddening, disgraceful and unacceptable for any particular person, enterprise, or group to try to make gentle of Juneteenth and what it represents for thousands and thousands of slaves and their dwelling descendants,” Golieb mentioned in his assertion. “There is no such thing as a place within the City of Millinocket for such a blatant disregard of human decency.”

Monday marked the primary 12 months the state of Maine celebrated Juneteenth as an official vacation, as Gov. Janet Mills signed a invoice into regulation final 12 months declaring the annual commemoration a paid state vacation. This month, Mills signed a proclamation declaring June 19 as Juneteenth.

Juneteenth is an annual commemoration celebrated on June 19 that marks the USA’ second independence day.

On today in 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger — who had fought for the Union — arrived at Galveston, Texas, with practically 2,000 troops to announce that the greater than 250,000 enslaved Black individuals within the state had been lastly free.

Joe Biden signed a invoice in 2021 to acknowledge Juneteenth as a federal vacation.