Parents of a 7-year-old girl are speaking out after an incident involving Black dolls during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans — an episode the city’s mayor condemned as “deeply offensive” and “unacceptable.”
The girl and her family attended the Krewe of Tucks parade on Saturday, Feb. 14. Photos and video shared online appeared to show Black Barbie-like dolls hanging by the neck from strands of beads, which are commonly thrown during Mardi Gras celebrations.
Her mother, Shayna Lee, said their daughter was tossed one of the dolls and didn’t understand what it represented at first.
“It really just hurt that her innocence was taken away because I had to expose her to a darker side of racism and tell her why she wasn’t allowed to play with it,” Lee said.
Her father, George Lee, said their daughter couldn’t understand why she couldn’t keep the toy — and that it was not a conversation he expected to have with a 7-year-old.
In a statement, the Krewe of Tucks acknowledged the painful historical symbolism associated with the image of beads tied around the neck of a Black doll. The group said it takes any racist gesture seriously and emphasized that racism remains an ongoing issue in the community and the country.
The organization said it quickly identified the riders involved and permanently terminated their membership. It also said that before the parade, approximately 30 White dolls and 30 Black dolls were purchased to throw to children along the route. While attaching beads to items is described as a common practice to make throws easier, the krewe said it is conducting an internal investigation to determine how the dolls were handled and whether any practices may have enabled harmful actions.
The mayor of New Orleans, Helena Moreno, also denounced the incident, saying the imagery was offensive and had no place in the city. She added that community celebrations — especially those attended by children and families — should be places of joy and unity, not spaces where people are confronted with hateful symbolism.
On Sunday, Feb. 15, the mayor and the New Orleans City Council welcomed the Lee family to view festivities from Gallier Hall. In a message shared publicly, city leaders said they wanted the family to experience what they called the true spirit of New Orleans, rooted in love, respect, and inclusion, and stressed that the incident did not reflect the city’s values.
