Wisconsin Reporter Says She Fled Country Thunder Music Festival After a Man Called Her the ‘N-Word’

A reporter for Milwaukee, Wisconsin station WTMJ-TV said on Twitter that she fled the Country Thunder music festival Friday night after a male patron twice called her the ‘n-word’ and people laughed at her instead of helping. The reporter, Taylor Lumpkin, apparently has not posted any video of the incident nor any video from her time at the festival.

Taylor Lumpkin, WTMJ-TV promo photo.

Jason Aldean, who has drawn criticism from the left for his song “Try That in a Small Town”, played the song during his headliner set at the festival Saturday night. Wisconsin Speaker of the State Assembly Robin Vos (R) tweeted his support of Aldean on Saturday:

pic.twitter.com/TrydpmcYUZ

— Robin Vos (@repvos) July 22, 2023

Lumpkin wrote on Twitter Friday night, “Went to cover this event tonight for a news story. Left humiliated after a guy ran up and yelled at me (unprovoked), and called me a N***** twice. No one helped. Everyone stared at me, and laughed. Do better people.”

Went to cover this event tonight for a news story.

Left humiliated after a guy ran up and yelled at me (unprovoked), and called me a N***** twice. No one helped. Everyone stared at me, and laughed.

Do better people. https://t.co/0hce1pj78h

— Taylor Lumpkin (@TaylorLumpkinTV) July 21, 2023

Lumpkin’s tweet has over 1.2 million views. She thanked supporters on Saturday, saying, “Thank you all for the outpouring of love and support you have shown me. It means more to me than you will ever know. Being a black, female journalist in this industry is difficult. But knowing so many are in my corner, gives me the strength to keep going. Love always wins”

Thank you all for the outpouring of love and support you have shown me. It means more to me than you will ever know.

Being a black, female journalist in this industry is difficult. But knowing so many are in my corner, gives me the strength to keep going.

Love always wins 🩷

— Taylor Lumpkin (@TaylorLumpkinTV) July 22, 2023

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported a statement by WTMJ vice president and general manager Joe Poss:

“We are appalled that one of our reporters was subjected to a racial slur while producing a news story. We stand against all forms of racism and have a core commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion,” Poss said. “What happened to Taylor Lumpkin at a music festival should not happen to anyone, anywhere. It is painful and heartbreaking when something awful like this occurs. Our focus right now is on supporting Taylor.”

‘Do better people.’ TMJ4 reporter in Milwaukee called racist slur at Country Thunder https://t.co/ih2BCwb1h7

— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) July 22, 2023

The festival also drew criticism from Wisconsin Public Radio reporter Corrine Hess for a Confederate battle flag being flown, “Seems pretty tone deaf for the Kenosha News to run front page photo of a Confederate Flag with a headline saying “Setting up to have a really great time””

Seems pretty tone deaf for the Kenosha News to run front page photo of a Confederate Flag with a headline saying “Setting up to have a really great time” pic.twitter.com/Oe4wqmyGQ6

— Corri Hess (@CorriHess) July 21, 2023

Lumpkin is keen on representation, as her pinned tweet from 2021 shows, “WHY REPRESENTATION MATTERS: I ran into 7-year-old Harmone on a story today. She came up to me and said, “I don’t see a lot of people who look like you on TV.” Then told me she wanted to be a reporter. I gave her a hug and told her that I couldn’t wait to see her on TV next”

WHY REPRESENTATION MATTERS: I ran into 7-year-old Harmone on a story today. She came up to me and said, “I don’t see a lot of people who look like you on TV.” Then told me she wanted to be a reporter. I gave her a hug and told her that I couldn’t wait to see her on TV next 💕 pic.twitter.com/u94VTXsM1A

— Taylor Lumpkin (@TaylorLumpkinTV) July 12, 2021

Lumpkin has a sense of humor about her rocky start to reporting, posting a five year old video in May of her repeatedly flubbing a remote shot:

5 years ago today. Never 4get ✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/jG98WHmryV

— Taylor Lumpkin (@TaylorLumpkinTV) May 16, 2023

And for those concerned about such things, Lumpkin has also improved on her health.

9 months apart. Hard work put in. 40 lbs down ⬇️

Same girl. Different mindset 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/VBSHrzZ68Y

— Taylor Lumpkin (@TaylorLumpkinTV) April 26, 2023

A month ago Lumpkin retweeted this motivational comment on the vital legacy of the African-American descendants of slavery that closed with this admonition, “..and in spite of it all someone in your family line endured every era to make sure you would get here and you receive one rejection, face one obstacle, lose one friend, get overlooked, and you want to quit? How dare you entertain the very thought of quitting. People, you will never know survived from generation to generation so you could succeed. Don’t you dare let them down! Give this to your young people who don’t know their history and want to get weak! It is NOT in our DNA to quit!”

“Soooo you mean to tell me that someone down your ancestry line survived being chained to other human bodies for several months in the bottom of a disease-infested ship during the Middle Passage, lost their language, customs and traditions, picked up the English language as best… pic.twitter.com/vIso0CLam1

— AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@AfricanArchives) June 15, 2023

A Wisconsin man posted a screen image of a Black woman’s social media post from the Country Thunder festival on Friday in which she posted photos of herself in the pit with friends.

There are dipshits in all groups.
But once again hyperbole takes over and people calling Country Thunder a Klan rally and other stupid shit.

Yet this lovely woman had no problems and said she had a fantastic time.https://t.co/JsijcmBHgJ pic.twitter.com/U0F2Bp0Pbo

— RJ (@WIdigregorysj) July 21, 2023