The HilltopNoose Found Hanging at University of Maryland
Crystal Cranmore
9/10/07Friday Sept. 7 generated an emotional outcry at the University of Maryland College Park Campus around 4:15 p.m.
The Department of Public Safety Officers reported an alleged hate crime incident of a noose hanging from a tree outside of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, which was found by the cultural center's staff on Thursday.
Paul Dillon, spokesperson for the University of Maryland's Police Department, said the noose was removed by someone before he arrived on the scene on Friday, but Dillon believed it was seen by various students and staff members on Thursday. Police have begun an investigation and have classified the act as a hate crime. However, they are still speculating whether or not the incident was racially motivated.
"It resembles enough of a noose to take action and we're determining the motivation behind the people responsible," Dillon said.
Many students are upset that the noose was taken down before everyone had the chance to see it. The noose was hung directly facing the Nyumburu Cultural Center which some students refer to as the Black Cultural Center. Through an e-mail by university officials, students and faculty members were notified of the occurrence within hours.
Students and staff at the university are frustrated, disappointed and find it hard to understand the motivations behind this act. Brandon Richardson, a cabinet member of the Black Student Union, finds it more upsetting than stunning.
"There is a history of racism at the university," Richardson said. "But it never went this far. They [the students] have never taken racism to a visual display. In 2005, someone wrote an anonymous editorial in our student newspaper and said that black people did not deserve a black history month because it makes us too special, when really it's a celebration of our individuality. There is hidden racism on this campus, but this is one of the few times it has shown its face."
"I received an e-mail about it and I was surprised because I have never heard about racial tension at College Park," said freshman kinesiology major, Cherice Ledbetter. "I considered going to University of Virginia, but I heard they had racial problems there and so I decided to come to the University of Maryland."
Some find the occurrence ironic and speculate that the noose symbolizes a possible disagreement to the recent updates of the Jena 6 trial. Others like Altmann Pannell, the president of the Black Student Union, feel as though the Black Terp Weekend helped ignite the crime. The Black Student Union started off the year with a barbeque on Saturday and the Black Terp Weekend essentially kicks off the union's beginning of the year events.
"I am not really surprised because at the end of the day racism still exists," Pannell said. The university has numerous outreach programs and according to Pannell, there has been much tension from students within the last few semesters.
"The noose found on the tree is not a result of past occurrences, but because I am very involved with what goes on culturally on campus, it is not as surprising to me as it might be to others," Pannell said.
A town hall meeting will take place on Monday, where the Black Student Union and the associate director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center will discuss the issue and take action.
"I received an e-mail today by the university's president," said Aria Hughes, a senior journalism major. "In the e-mail he apologized to students and talked about how lynching was a dark part of American history. The Black Student Union is very vocal, so I know they will speak out about their distaste of this situation."
Meanwhile, the police department is doing extra patrols in the area.
