by Kandiss Edwards
December 14, 2025
Reid shared a video made by social media creator Khalil Greene that claims ‘Jingle Bells’ has a racist origin.
A viral video shared by Joy Reid is sparking conversations about the origins of “Jingle Bells” and whether or not the Christmas tune is racist.
Reid shared a video made by social media creator Khalil Greene that claims “Jingle Bells” has a racist origin. The headlines have largely focused on Reid and whether or not she is participating in the “attack on Christmas.” Yet, Greene’s video offered more than a blanket statement. In the Instagram post, Greene traced the origin of the song and its creator. He created multiple visual backdrops and captions accompanied by a slow version of “Jingle Bells” in the background.
Greene explored the minstrel entertainment period and the song’s composer, James Lord Pierpont, coupled together, Greene’s assertions are seemingly supported. The video references academic research that examines how “Jingle Bells” was first performed publicly in the mid-1800s.
The discussion stems from “The story I must tell: ‘Jingle Bells‘ in the Minstrel Repertoire,” written by historian Kyna and published in Theatre Survey, a peer-reviewed journal from Cambridge University Press.
Hamill asserted that the song debuted in 1857 at Ordway Hall in Boston during a minstrel show.
“The song was first performed in blackface,” Hamill wrote. The article added that minstrel shows of the era were performed by white entertainers who wore blackface and presented caricatures of Black people.
Pierpont was involved in minstrel performance culture, which was common in American entertainment during the 19th century. Hamill’s research examined how the song circulated within the Minstrel tradition rather than how it is used in contemporary holiday celebrations.
The viral video does not argue that modern performances of “Jingle Bells” carry racist intent. Instead, the claims are made in context with the historical conditions of the time. Pierpont was a confederate whose other works used racist language, including the n-word.
Hamill’s research has circulated periodically online since it was first published, often resurfacing during the holiday season. However, this new revival of the conversation centers Reid, though she plays no hand in the original video, research, or the conditions on which the song was made.
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