npr:
Never mind ghosts and goblins, zombies and vampires. For some people, the scariest part of Halloween is the deluge of offensive costumes, from frat boys in black face to white kids in kimonos to sexy celebrity Pocahontases.
At this point, every masquerader (should) know that race is not a costume. But the racial politics behind certain get-ups aren’t quite so obvious.
This week on Ask Code Switch got a question from Jennifer, a Pennsylvania woman whose daughter is entranced with the occult. The costume in question? Voodoo doll.
On Halloween, Remember: Voodoo Isn’t Black Magic
Photo: Sean Gardner/Getty Images