Fact Check

Black Dolls Hung from Trees in a White Baltimore Neighborhood

Rumor: Photograph shows a bunch of black dolls hung from a tree in a Baltimore neighborhood to intimidate protesters.

Published April 28, 2015

Claim:

Claim:   Photograph shows a group of black dolls hung from a tree in a Baltimore neighborhood in order to intimidate protesters.


REAL PHOTOGRAPH; INACCURATE DESCRIPTION


Example:   [Collected via Twitter, April 2015]




 

Origins:   In April 2015, a photograph purportedly showing a group of black dolls hanging from a tree in a predominantly white Baltimore neighborhood was passed around Twitter along with the claim that the display had been created by "white neighbors" in order to intimidate black citizens protesting the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody.

While the image is real, the story associated with it is inaccurate. The photograph actually shows an art installation created by Boston artist Loring Cornish:

It's not much, but it's what I can do...I cannot not do nothing

Posted by Loring Cornish on Saturday, April 11, 2015

Loring also posted a photograph of a sign he created to help explain the message behind his art:

It should also be noted that while Loring's display certainly speaks to many of the racial issues at the center of the Freddie Gray case, the Baltimore artist's installation was actually created a few days before Gray was arrested on 12 April 2015.

Last updated:   28 April 2015

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