Jim Boggess, a deli owner in Flemington, wanted to celebrate his heritage with the community. To do so, he put up a sign in his store window that read, “CELEBRATE YOUR WHITE HERITAGE IN MARCH, WHITE HISTORY MONTH.” However, instead of generating the positive response he hoped for, the sign created a lot of controversy.

One customer, Bhakti Curtis, who was of mixed-race descent, found the sign offensive. Curtis filed a complaint with the Flemington Police Department, claiming that the sign was mocking Black History Month and had similarities to KKK-associated imagery. Although the police did not find the sign to be racist or derogatory, Boggess faced the consequences of his actions.

Over the next four days, Boggess faced criticism and pressure to take down the sign, which he eventually did. However, the damage had already been done. The deli started losing customers and Boggess found himself in financial trouble.

Despite making amends with Curtis by taking a picture together and shaking hands, Boggess had to close down his deli a month after putting up the controversial sign. Devastated, he decided to seek help from the public. Boggess started a GoFundMe campaign titled, “Jimbos white history sign gone bad,” where he explained his intentions and asked for support.

While Boggess received letters of support from people all over the country, it wasn’t enough to save his deli. The loss of customers proved to be too much, and he had to say goodbye to his American dream.

Boggess’s story serves as a reminder that even well-intentioned actions can have unintended consequences. It’s important to consider the impact our words and choices may have on others, especially in a diverse and multicultural society.