A mysterious flyer stopped a Houston couple in their tracks during their morning stroll in Sunnyside Park. The flyer wasn’t announcing a yard sale or a search for a lost dog — it was advertising the “Sale of Negroes.”
Living in a historically Black neighborhood on Houston’s southside, Lante and Nakiba Phillips never thought they would see racism hit their front door. The couple visits Sunnyside Park almost daily.
“We come and do like four laps around the park,” Lante told KPRC 2 Houston.
In disbelief, he explained, “I looked over at this tree, and I saw ‘Negroes.'”
The flyer spotted by the couple was boldly headed with the words “GREAT SALE Of NEGROES.” It then went on to specifically advertise “One Buck” and two “Wenches” for sale. An unknown “Gary M. King, Esq.” was the beneficiary or organizer of the sale.
The couple had no idea how the flyer got there or who would put up something so offensive.
“I was floored, actually. I did see that it was dated 1855. Someone definitely did their history,” Nakiba said.
The couple notified a park attendee, and the flyer was quickly taken down. Although the sign was removed, residents of the neighborhood are still concerned.
Travis McGee, a civic leader with Sunnyside Garden/Bayou, spoke with KPRC 2 Houston on behalf of the neighborhood.
“We want them to know that those days been over, and this not no plantation,” McGee said, according to the outlet. “This is our home. This is our community. That’s how we treat it, and that’s how they’re gonna treat it.”
Tracy Stephens, the president of the Sunnyside Civic Club, said the neighborhood has made efforts to avoid issues like this.
“Back in April this year, we had a contractor come out and inspected the whole park area to put up surveillance cameras and give city council members the price and stuff,” Stephens said, KPRC 2 reports.
City officials were made aware of the derogatory flyer. District D Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz spoke with KPRC 2 Houston about the flyer, adding that it has been “appalling” to her.
Evans-Shabazz went on to comment on the logistics of adding surveillance to the area.
“There are 382 parks in the city, and adding cameras isn’t as easy as it may sound,” she told the outlet. “It’s just not in the budget because it’s not just installing cameras — you have to maintain them, and then they have to be monitored.”
The community is asking that the Houston Police Department increase patrol officers in the area.
Houston police say the Criminal Intelligence Division is investigating the culprit behind the flyer and whether it was intended as a hate crime.
While the authorities seem concerned, it hasn’t put out the fears of community residents.
“Oh my God, will the tree be on fire tomorrow? Like, what’s next?” Nakiba questioned in an interview with KPRC 2 Houston.
