(The Root) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is learning that social media and slavery tweets don't mix.
An Atlanta man named Willie Lynch recently was the winner of the $1 million Georgia lottery. Historically, "Willie Lynch" is believed to have been the name of a slave owner who gave a speech on how to control slaves on a plantation. The speech was later crafted into a letter — which some historians think is a hoax — that has made its rounds on the Internet.
What isn't a hoax is that someone at the newspaper made the connection between Willie Lynch, the lottery winner, and the other Willie Lynch and decided to tweet, "$1M GA Lottery winner Willie Lynch can get 40 acres and a whole lotta mules." The tweet has since been deleted and an apology has been issued.
