There may be no better place to be during Halloween than Salem, Massachusetts. Witches are everywhere. Pumpkins hang overhead. Storefronts are packed with costumes and broomsticks, and there’s a giant glowing jack-o’-lantern on display. Even the murals have witches and black cats. Salem takes Halloween seriously, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s fun, a little spooky, and exactly what you’d expect from a town famous for witches.

But somewhere between the costumes and the cauldrons, I started thinking about something a lot scarier than anything in a Halloween display. The real story of Salem isn’t about witches. It’s about what happens when fear takes hold of a community, and how quickly good people can lose their way.

In 1692, nearly 200 people in the Salem area were accused of witchcraft. Twenty were executed, and others died in jail. None of them were monsters. They were mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and neighbors with families, hopes, and dreams, just like you and me. And yet an entire community reached the point where accusing, jailing, and even killing the people next door seemed justified.

How does that happen? I think it starts when fear gets bigger than our humanity. Someone you’ve known for years becomes someone you distrust. Small differences start to look like reasons for suspicion. And once fear starts spreading, even the people we trust to keep us safe can get swept up in it. Things spiral fast.

That’s what stays with me about Salem. Being afraid is human. But even the people responsible for protecting the community got caught up in it, and innocent people paid the price. It’s a reminder of how hard leadership is when fear is in the room, and how much it matters.

I stopped at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, which honors the twenty people who were executed. It’s quiet and solemn, a big change from the party going on around town. Standing there, I thought about how easily we lose sight of people. Every name belonged to somebody who was loved, somebody’s mother or brother or friend. Their lives were worth no less because someone decided they were different, dangerous, or didn’t belong.

Leaders have a big role to play in moments like this. A calm voice, a steady hand, and a willingness to help neighbors see what they have in common can change everything.

Here’s something I’ve learned over the years. Good people don’t have to be cruel to take part in cruelty. Sometimes all it takes is being scared, listening to the wrong voices, and telling ourselves it’s not our problem.

It’s easy to look back more than 300 years and wonder how those people let it happen. The harder question is whether we’d speak up if it happened in our own town, even if it cost us a little popularity.

Great leaders bring people together around what they have in common. They protect the dignity of every person, build trust, and help make compassion stronger than fear.

Halloween in Salem is full of ghosts, witches, and scary stories. The scariest one is the one that actually happened.

Learn More About Salem and the Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 remain one of the most troubling chapters in American history and an enduring lesson about fear, injustice, and the responsibility of those in authority.

To learn more about the history and the individuals whose lives were lost, visit:

·         Salem Witch Museum

·         Salem, Massachusetts — History and Attractions

·         Massachusetts Historical Society

About Ron on the Road

Ron Holifield speaks to over 2,000 local government officials annually and has coffee with over 250 local government officials each year as part of his travels. If you have a cool site you think he should visit, email Ron@CivicMarketplace.com. 

NOTE: This column was written with the assistance of Melissa Valentine, senior director of operations and support at Civic Marketplace. 

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