Racist Letter Urges Long Island Family to Leave Town

We are taking a look back at some of the most-read articles on Long Island Patches in 2015. This article was published in May.

A shocking display of racism in Lindenhurst is making its way across social media Friday.

A anonymous letter mailed to an African-American family in the Long Island community implores the family to leave town because of their skin color.

“Lindenhurst is 84% white population. You don’t belong here!!!,” the appalling letter reads.

Ronica Copes, the Lindenhurst woman who opened the letter, which is postmarked May 19 and appears to show “Lindenhurst Community” as the return sender, posted it on her Facebook page Thursday afternoon and it has quickly garnered more than 1,500 shares.

Copes wrote on Facebook: “Sooooo, I’m checking my mail and when I come across this I can’t help but laugh..wait, it’s not funny though. Where they do that at? Oh yeah Lindenhurst. Unbelievable but then it’s not...our daily reality, I’ve just never seen it in this form.”

The letter, which officials told Patch was sent to a home on Davenport Street, urges the family to “please leave Lindenhurst as soon as you can” and “find the town where there are more people like you.” It concludes, “Sorry if this is rude, but it’s the truth.”

The Suffolk County Police Department says it has been made aware of the letter.

“It was turned over to us and a Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit is conducting an investigation into this matter,” a police spokeswoman told Patch Friday afternoon.

Babylon Town and Lindenhurst Village officials released a joint statement Friday condemning the letter for espousing “racist hateful views.”

“The best way to fight bias is with solidarity and we stand with all of our residents in declaring that there is no place for this type of intolerance and hatred in the Village of Lindenhurst, the Town of Babylon, or anywhere in our community,” the statement reads. “We are, and always will be, a strong diverse community that does not cede ground to hostility, ignorance, or hatred, wherever it may appear.”