Residents outraged by blackface statue on display in Mamaroneck antique shop

Residents expressed outrage toward a black face statue that was on display in Mamaroneck antique shop.

News 12 Staff

Sep 28, 2019, 2:15 AM

Updated 1,838 days ago

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Residents expressed outrage toward a black face statue that was on display in Mamaroneck antique shop.

Omar Matthews says the statue that is on display in front of Den of Antiquity resembles a lawn jockey. Lawn jockeys are racist caricatures that were popular in the 19th century.
Mayor Tom Murphy agrees with the residents' complaints.

"It's racially insensitive and it is offensive. In this day and age, it's not appropriate, especially on the streets of a community as diverse as ours," he says.
Elliot Shapiro, the owner of the antique shop, told News 12 that he didn't know that the statue was racist and that no one complained to him about it.
"If somebody complained to me, one person, I would take it in," he says.
Shapiro says he bought a dozen of umbrella holders a decade ago in Italy, and first displayed this remaining unsold statue in front of his store a month ago.

After News 12 shared Matthews' complaint to Shapiro, he took the statue inside.

He also says he vows to take anyone's concerns about the antiques he sells to heart.