Joy Reid Shares Viral Video Claiming “Jingle Bells” Has Minstrel-Era Links — Sparking a Heated Holiday Debate

A short video reposted by journalist Joy Reid has reignited a cultural conversation few expected to see during the holiday season: the historical origins of “Jingle Bells.”

Reid, who left MSNBC earlier in 2025 following network programming changes, shared the clip without commentary — yet the gesture alone was enough to set off a storm of online reactions.

THE CLAIMS IN THE VIDEO

The video features a man standing beside a plaque in Medford, Massachusetts, where the songwriter James Lord Pierpont once lived. He asserts:

The song, originally titled “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” was written in 1850 for use in minstrel performances, a popular form of 19th-century entertainment in which white performers sometimes used racially stereotyped caricatures.

Some cheerful lyrics, including phrases like “laughing all the way,” were allegedly connected to comedic routines common in minstrel shows.

Pierpont later joined the Confederate Army, and also composed pro-Southern songs — a historically documented fact, though it does not by itself establish that “Jingle Bells” had racial intent.

The speaker frames these elements as part of a broader, complicated cultural history rather than as definitive proof of racist purpose.

WHAT SCHOLARS ACTUALLY SAY

The claims in the video echo a 2017 research paper by historian Kyna Hamill, who studied early performances of “Jingle Bells.” Her findings included:

The song was performed in minstrel shows in the mid-19th century.

Its earliest known public performance appears to have taken place in that context.

However, Hamill explicitly noted that there is no conclusive evidence that Pierpont wrote the song for minstrel shows or with racial intent.

Hamill later clarified that portions of her research were misinterpreted by the media, stressing that the song should be seen as a product of its era, but not necessarily as a deliberately racist composition.

THE DEBATE IGNITED ONLINE

Even though Reid added no commentary, her repost quickly triggered polarized reactions:

Some users argued that revisiting historical contexts is valuable and helps explain how cultural traditions evolve.

Others insisted the claims exaggerate the song’s origins or unfairly impose modern interpretations on a 19th-century piece of music.

Holiday traditionalists questioned why a Christmas song should be scrutinized in this way, while others countered that acknowledging history does not diminish enjoyment of the present.

The debate mirrors a broader national conversation about how to address cultural works created in eras with very different social norms.

WHY THIS STORY MATTERS

“Jingle Bells” is one of the most widely recognized songs in the English-speaking world, sung by children and adults each winter without a second thought. The resurfaced discussion highlights several recurring themes:

Historical nuance — Many cultural artifacts have complex pasts that are neither wholly celebratory nor condemnatory.

The power of social media — A single video repost can reopen long-dormant debates.

The tension between tradition and reinterpretation — Understanding history can coexist with modern enjoyment of a song.

Regardless of where one falls in the debate, the episode underscores how even the most familiar holiday traditions can inspire fresh conversations about history, culture, and collective memory.