Updated: Friday Oct 16, 2026 at 6:15 a.m.
The NAACP of Bucks County is asking the homeowners with the controversial Halloween display depicting a “lynching” to alter or remove it from the front of their Bristol Borough home.
“On October 7, 2026, our branch received a complaint from a Bristol Borough resident who expressed distress over the display and its proximity to their home,” said Adrienne King, President NAACP Bucks County.
Bristol Borough resident Carla Scott, a Black woman, raised exacting concerns at Monday night’s Council meeting, which was exclusively covered by Lower Bucks Source.
Bristol officials contacted the homeowner about the display who declined to remove it.
“The resident had previously raised concerns with borough officials and subsequently contacted the NAACP seeking assistance,” King said. “We understand that borough officials approached the homeowner regarding the display and that the homeowner declined to remove it. While we appreciate the borough’s initial efforts, we believe this situation calls for continued engagement, historical awareness, and community leadership.”
Credit: Lower Bucks Hospital
King added, “For Black Americans, the imagery of bodies hanging from trees is not simply a Halloween decoration. It evokes one of the darkest chapters in American history. For generations, lynching was used as an instrument of racial terror, particularly against Black Americans. These acts of violence were often carried out publicly, with bodies left hanging as a warning intended to instill fear and reinforce racial oppression throughout entire communities.”
The response by the community to the graphic display has for the most part, been in support of the homeowners free speech rights. However, some of the commentary shows implicit bias and a lack of understanding of the “terrifying” symbolism involved.
One commenter even went so far to justify the bodies hanging from tree branches by noting the nooses were knotted incorrectly.
Since its inception in 1909—nearly 120 years ago amid widespread racial violence—the fight against lynching became one of the NAACP’s earliest and most defining civil rights campaigns.
“We recognize that Halloween decorations are often designed to frighten or shock. We are not suggesting that the homeowner necessarily intended to communicate a racially motivated message. However, intent does not erase impact, and historical context matters. We also recognize and respect the constitutional right to freedom of expression. But freedom of expression does not mean freedom from criticism, nor does it absolve us of the responsibility to consider how our actions affect our neighbors. Something can be legally permissible and still be profoundly harmful. ”
The NAACP Bucks is calling for the homeowner to reconsider the display and voluntarily remove or modify the imagery, officials said.
Credit: Friends of Tina Davis
“We are also urging Bristol Borough leadership to continue engaging with the homeowner and affected residents and to support opportunities for education and constructive community dialogue.”
Last month, Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan announced a series of community based discussions inviting leaders from religious, racial, and ethnic communities across Bucks County to discuss solutions for preventing and addressing perceived intolerance.
The roundtable was announced subsequent to the arrest of Bucks County man who sent threatening texts messages to the leaders of a Historically Black Church.
One seemingly relevant aspect of the roundtable announcement, is Khan said in some instances, DA’s offices in Pennsylvania also have the authority to go to civil court to obtain equitable relief on behalf of victims of ethnic intimidation, a power that has rarely if ever been utilized.
NAACP officials commended the Bristol resident who contacted them for speaking up and advocating for greater awareness and sensitivity.
This is not about taking away someone’s right to celebrate Halloween. It is about recognizing that some images carry a history of violence and terror that cannot simply be dismissed as decoration, NAACP officials said.
“We cannot change our history, but we can choose whether we acknowledge it, learn from it, and demonstrate compassion for those who continue to carry its weight.”
Bristol Borough officials were not immediately available for comment as of publication time for this story.
Credit: Submitted
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