As Statues Of America’s Racist Past Were Removed This Year, So Were Tattoos

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Billy White, owner of Red Rose Tattoo in Zanesville, Ohio, will cover up people’s previous racist tattoos. But first he ensures it reflects a genuine change in ideology. He’s seen more interest in covering up tattoos this year than before.





Cy Dodson, director of Beneath the Ink



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Cy Dodson, director of Beneath the Ink



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Then came George Floyd’s killing in May, which was the «initial wow factor moment for Boykin.

The nationwide protests even came to Zanesville in the summer as people gathered peacefully at the county courthouse and marched through town.

Boykin recalls covert, «subliminal racism from white people in his town toward people of color when he was growing up. He watched the demonstrations closely, awaiting counterprotesters and violence.

«That didn’t happen, which really surprised me that [protesters] weren’t met with any kind of opposition, which to me was a clear indicator that times are definitely changing, he says.

It was the final push to get his Confederate flag covered up. Boykin wasn’t alone.





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Kyle Boykin got his Confederate flag tattoo covered up this year. George Floyd’s killing in May was the «initial wow factor moment, he says.





Kyle Boykin



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Kyle Boykin



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In multiple countries, the Erasing Hate platform is behind a larger movement to expose and remove racist symbols in all forms — from public spaces to now, private ones.

Corey Fleischer started the movement in his hometown of Montreal, Canada, about 10 years ago when he removed a swastika from his neighborhood. «It started off as a graffiti removal movement where basically people would notify us of any graffiti or any markings of any sort of hate, anywhere around the world, he says.

Fleischer and his team often power-wash or pour concrete over hateful symbols in public. But as the racial justice movement gained traction, he started hearing more and more from people who wanted to get their racist tattoos covered up.

«It all started with the murder of George Floyd, he says. «It was like the gates opened and it went from a few Confederate tattoo removals over the years to, I would open up my phone every few hours and it would be somebody else messaging me. ‘Hey, Erasing Hate, I have a Confederate flag. Can you help us erase it?’ «

With tattoos, Fleischer doesn’t do the removals himself. He serves as a middleman, connecting those requesting the service to tattoo artists in his network.

«I don’t care what your backstory is, Fleischer says. «I care about tomorrow. You want to erase it, I’m going to be there for you. I’m going to set it up for you. And we’re just going to move forward and I’m going to give you a new way in life.





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Billy White says the past year was a wake-up call to «the atrocities that our brothers and sisters are facing every day.





Cy Dodson



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Cy Dodson



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«I think that if this year didn’t wake you up to the atrocities that our brothers and sisters are facing every day, then I don’t know what will.

His clients range from people formerly in white supremacist groups, including the KKK, to people who were forced to get tattoos while they were incarcerated.

Others are like Kyle Boykin, who made a one-time decision he regrets.

Boykin lives across town from Red Rose Tattoo. Shortly after protests in Zanesville began, Boykin went in to have White improvise a fierce bald eagle perched on a log with colorful flowers beneath it.

«Once that got covered up, it was like the relief of a community taking down a statue and moving forward, Boykin says. «And getting that covered up was a personal growth, moving forward for myself. And I have this beautiful piece now that I can show people.