Jim Boggess wanted to honor his heritage and share it with his local community. As the owner of a deli in Flemington, he believed he had discovered the perfect way to bring his vision to life. Those walking by the deli on Main Street were welcomed by a handwritten sign that proclaimed, “CELEBRATE YOUR WHITE HERITAGE IN MARCH, WHITE HISTORY MONTH.”
This sign did not have the impact Boggess had anticipated. One of his customers, Bhakti Curtis, expressed strong discontent regarding it. Curtis, who is of mixed-race heritage, was particularly upset when he saw the sign. He went to the Flemington Police Department to lodge a complaint, claiming that the sign was “mocking Black History Month” and pointed out that the “T” in “WHITE” was crossed out in a manner reminiscent of KKK symbolism.
Although the police did not consider the sign to be racist or offensive, Boggess was still facing other repercussions. After being questioned about the sign for nearly four days, he ultimately decided to remove it. Unfortunately, by that time, the harm had already been done. Customers began to avoid the deli, and his financial troubles continued to escalate.
A month after the sign was displayed, Boggess had to shut down the deli. This happened despite him having reconciled with Curtis, and the two even posed for a photo together, shaking hands.
