Officer reprimanded over ‘Forrest Gump’ family costume with child in blackface

A Knoxville, Tennessee, officer received a reprimand and will undergo bias training following an investigation into a photo he shared of his child in blackface for a “Forrest Gump” Halloween costume.

An internal affairs investigation was launched in November after Officer Todd MacFaun posted the photo with his two daughters over Halloween weekend, according to the Knoxville Police Department. The photo included fellow Officer Leah Miller, MacFaun’s fiancée, who also posted the photo to her social media, according to NBC affiliate WBIR.

MacFaun’s two daughters were dressed as “Forrest Gump” characters as part of a family photo, in which one of his daughters wore blackface in her costume of the character Bubba Blue, a Black soldier who befriends the film’s title character while they serve together in Vietnam.

The internal investigation found that the officers violated policy on the use of social media, the department said.

“Though it was apparent that Officers MacFaun and Miller did not have malicious intentions, the costume reflected poor judgment, was entirely inappropriate given the long history of the use of blackface to oppress and stereotype the black community, and has no place in society,” the Knoxville police statement said.

MacFaun was issued a written reprimand by Knoxville Police Chief Eve Thomas and will undergo “additional cultural bias training.” Miller resigned in December before the investigation concluded.

Chief Thomas said in a statement that she felt MacFaun showed “an understanding of the painful history evoked by the depiction of blackface” and is “confident” the officer will learn from the incident.

“I was disappointed in the severe lapse in judgement shown by Officers MacFaun and Miller that resulted in the public depiction of blackface, which should deeply offend us all,” Thomas’s statement said. “Though their actions were done only in the spirit of Halloween, those actions were hurtful and insensitive. I will not tolerate, accept or condone offensive or racially-insensitive behavior of any kind.”

MacFaun and Miller told internal investigators that they were “unaware” of the racially insensitive nature of the costume and did not intend to offend anyone. Both officers expressed “sincere regret” for their actions, the department said.

The couple did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday from NBC News.

A number of celebrities and public figures made national headlines last year after the death of George Floyd as they were criticized for their past use of blackface, including comedians Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. Before the summer’s racial reckoning, politicians including Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey each faced scrutiny over blackface in 2019.

Blackface has a long history in America, beginning in the early 1800s, when white performers darkened their skin to mock Black people. The act was used as a way to further degrade enslaved Black people by perpetuating false stereotypes.

One of the most famous blackface characters was “Jim Crow,” performed by Thomas Rice, which is often cited in the naming of the Jim Crow laws used to deny Black Americans their civil rights after the end of slavery.