Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in April 2015.

Jim Boggess was looking for a way to celebrate his heritage with the community around him. A deli owner in Flemington, Boggess thought that he had found the best way to execute his idea. Customers passing by the window of the Main Street deli were greeted by the handwritten sign that read, “CELEBRATE YOUR WHITE HERITAGE IN MARCH, WHITE HISTORY MONTH.”

A “white history month” sign put up on a New Jersey Deli’s window by the owner, Photo Credit: The Young Turks

This sign was not received as Boggess hoped it would. One of his customers, Bhakti Curtis was particularly vocal about the sign. Curtis was of mixed-race decent, and when he happened upon the sign, became enraged. He went to the Flemington Police Department and filed a complaint. He stated that the sign was “mocking Black History Month,” and that the “T” in “WHITE” was crossed in the same style used by KKK.

Even though police did not find the sign racist or derogatory, Boggess was about to face other consequences. After he was put on the spot over the sign for about four days, he finally took it down. However, the damage was already done. Customers stopped coming to the deli, and his financial situation kept growing worse.

A month after the sign was put up Boggess had to close down the deli. This was even after he had made amends to Curtis, and the two even took a picture shaking hands.