A Black internet serviceman was not prepared for what he encountered when he answered a request to fix a woman's internet service at her home in Atlanta.
But what startled TikTok user @malacheeman was what he saw prior to entering the woman's house.
On the lawn were a couple of minstrel statues – which are known to caricature Black people and considered racially offensive.
He made a TikTok video of his discovery and the clip went viral with over 3 million views.
According to research by the Ferris State University, minstrel figures and "lawn jockeys" are depicted with "bulging eyes, large red lips, a flat nose, and curly hair,"
The flesh of the figures also have a "glossy black color."
A voice in the video said:
"I went over to this lady's house to fix her wifi, and I see this."
@malacheeman Aint No Way Boa 😐 Like to see what happened when i got in the house #comedy #FerragamoLetsDance #trending #fyp #foryou
The user zoomed in towards the first minstrel figure that appeared to be eating watermelon.
He asked:
"Is it really eating watermelon?"
He then panned over to a lawn jockey, to which he said:
"My God, I just knew this was racist."
"My manager isn't answering the phone. Welp," he added.
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
Some in the comments argued lawn jockeys were not offensive at all and that they were used to guide slaves towards freedom during the era of the Underground Railroad. However, the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia noted that:
"There is very little, if any, primary source material for the claim that lawn jockeys were used as signaling devices for escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad."
The user said the homeowner was cordial and even offered him coffee. But her gesture of hospitality did little to settle his nerves.
"I watched Get Out too many times," he said, referring to the Jordan Peele horror film that Vox said was about "benevolent racism."
Some TikTokers picked up on the same vibe.
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
After going inside, the user said, "my manager came to save me," as the camera panned over to a side table that had a book with the former President on the cover called, Let Trump Be Trump.
"Yeah, I'm all good guys," he assured concerned TikTokers in a part two video clip.
@malacheeman Reply to @theawkwardbutterfly_ Im all good was a lil weird but aye you gots to see it through #fyp #comedy #foryou
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
@malacheeman/TikTok
In a third video, he responded to a commenter who said "they're obsessed," referring to White people and their racially insensitive collectibles.
"Man, that is a fact," he concurred. "White people stay being obsessed with Black people – hair, all that sh*t."
He went on to joke:
"It's really because, I mean – who wouldn't wanna be Black? Who wouldn't want all this chocolate?"
@malacheeman Reply to @xtriptolondon who wouldnt wanna be chocolate thoo
