Former MSNBC host Joy Reid shared a video on social media that claims the Christmas song "Jingle Bells" is racist material and was written to mock Black people.
The video was posted to her Instagram account, where she has 1.3 million followers.
It shows a man in Medford, Massachusetts, standing beside a plaque marking the location where James Lord Pierpont is believed to have written the song in 1850.
The captions describe Pierpont as a "racist Confederate soldier" and claim he composed the tune for minstrel shows.
The highly-produced video claims white performers in blackface used the original version, titled "The One Horse Open Sleigh," to caricature Black people attempting winter activities.
It also claims Pierpont wrote the song while struggling financially and created it specifically for performances rooted in racial mockery.
The video suggests the lyric "Laughing all the way" may refer to a minstrel routine known as the Laughing Darkie.
It further claims Pierpont abandoned his family to join the Confederate Army and later wrote songs meant to motivate Southern troops.
Reid's repost drew fresh attention because she has a record of racially charged statements.
Her MSNBC program was canceled earlier this year after low ratings.
She has previously been criticized for false claims, including saying President Donald Trump wanted "reparations for white people."
The broader argument about the song's origins is not new.
A primary school in upstate New York removed "Jingle Bells" from its holiday concert following concerns about its alleged ties to blackface and minstrelsy.
The modern academic basis for the claim traces to a 2017 article by Boston University professor Kyna Hamill.
Hamill documented early minstrel performances of the tune but noted that its full origin cannot be confirmed with certainty.
The video shared by Reid presents those minstrel links as definitive and portrays Pierpont's intent as rooted in racial mockery.
The clip has renewed debate, at least in some circles, about how traditional Christmas music is interpreted and the extent to which modern commentary should rely on disputed historical claims.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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