Former MSNBC host Joy Reid ignited widespread debate after sharing an Instagram video suggesting that the Christmas classic “Jingle Bells” was originally created to mock Black people. The post drew swift national attention and renewed discussion over the historical origins of popular holiday music.
In the video, a man dressed in a Christmas sweater and Santa hat stands beside a plaque in Medford, Massachusetts, where James Lord Pierpont is believed to have composed the song in 1850.
The caption of the video read: “This is where a racist Confederate soldier wrote ‘Jingle Bells’ to make fun of Black people, and has its origins in bigoted minstrel shows that were popular at the time.”
The claim asserts that Pierpont, author of the song first known as “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” created it for minstrel performances where white actors in blackface mocked Black individuals during seasonal activities.
🇺🇸 JOY REID SHARES VIDEO CLAIMING “JINGLE BELLS” WAS WRITTEN “TO MAKE FUN OF BLACK PEOPLE”
They really can’t let people enjoy Christmas.
Fired MSNBC host Joy Reid shared a video to her 1.3 million Instagram followers claiming the beloved Christmas anthem “Jingle Bells” was… pic.twitter.com/EM4NaVjZPW
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 10, 2025
What Did Joy Reid Say About the Song?
Reid doubled down on the claim in her own caption, writing: “Jingle Bells has its origins in minstrelsy that mocked Black people. This is the history we need to acknowledge.”
Her comment references a 2017 academic paper by Boston University professor Kyna Hamill, which argued that the earliest documented performance of “Jingle Bells” occurred at a minstrel show in Boston in 1857. The performance reportedly featured a white actor in blackface.
Despite the controversy, “Jingle Bells” remains one of America’s most beloved holiday songs.
Who Is Joy Reid?
Joy Reid is an American political commentator, author, and television personality known for her work analyzing U.S. politics, race, and cultural issues. She is best known as the former host of MSNBC’s The ReidOut, leaving the network in early 2025 to pursue independent media work and teaching.
A Harvard graduate and daughter of immigrants, Reid began her career in Florida journalism before rising to national prominence through her shows AM Joy and The ReidOut. She made history as the first Black woman to host a prime-time news show on a major U.S. network.
