FREWSBURG — The American Legion post that hosted a private party over the weekend said it did not condone the use of blackface as part of a Halloween costume.

Photographs from the Carroll Rod and Gun Club event that included two people reportedly dressed as Black lawn jockeys were widely shared on social media.

“The American Legion does not endorse or promote the use of blackface, though we did promote the Halloween party,” said Stephen Nelson of the Samuel L Derby Post 556.

Nelson is a former commander with the Frewsburg legion.

“I don’t know if someone thought this was funny, or what exactly, but they made a bad choice,” he said.

The Carroll Rod and Gun Club posted several photos from the annual Halloween party. At least three of those photos showed two people dressed in white clothing with red vests and hats and carrying prop lanterns. The two individuals also are seen wearing black gloves and black face coverings with enlarged lips and eyes.

Paula Rondeau shared the photos on Facebook. Her post was then shared more than 360 times.

The Carroll Rod and Gun Club, which deleted some of its photos from the party, released a statement on Monday.

“We would like to acknowledge the controversy some people have taken over a recent Halloween Costume party,” the club said. “We are a private club which consists of over 1,100 members of ALL ethnic groups, of which were in attendance that night.”

The club said several photos of the Halloween party were “taken out of context” by Rondeau.

“Our club does not condone any bullying or prejudice behavior,” the statement continued. “We respect everyone equally.”

The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University addressed lawn jockeys — statues that depict a caricature, sometimes in blackface, wearing horse-racing attire and holding a lamp or a hitching ring. They are often viewed as a symbol of racism.

In 2020, Franklin Hughes with the Jim Crow Museum discussed a social media post that attempted to justify the statue’s use by saying they were used on the Underground Railroad.

In a Q&A on Ferris State University’s website, Hughes said it’s possible that people may have used lawn jockeys to guide slaves to freedom. “However, there is no evidence that this practice was commonplace,” he said.

The Jamestown Justice Coalition shared the photos on its Facebook page. It also released the following statement Tuesday:

“Year after year, there are reports of people wearing blackface, Indigenous Headdress caricatured costumes of Mexican people and a plethora of other obviously offensive Halloween costumes. The excuse that this is done tastefully or in good fun disregards that this is all done at the expense of those being depicted. Black people and all other people of color are not costumes and each time these actions are excused the path to racist treatment, harassment, and violence is paved.”