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On Wednesday, tourists found a noose hanging in a gallery of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum, the second near the historical Smithsonian landmarks in less than a week. According to authorities, a noose was found hanging from a tree near the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden just five days earlier.
The secretary of the Smithsonian Institution released an email to museum employees to address the “disturbing” incident, revealing that the rope was found in the Segregation Gallery of the museum.
“The Smithsonian family stands together in condemning this act of hatred and intolerance, especially repugnant in a museum that affirms and celebrates the American values of inclusion and diversity,” David Skorton wrote, adding that the incident is under investigation by the U.S. Park Police.
“We will not be intimidated,” Skorton said. “With new urgency, we will tell the story of our nation and all its people. We will continue to fight this sort of ignorance with knowledge. We will remain vigilant, and in spite of these deplorable acts, we will become a stronger institution for all Americans.”
The museum’s founding director released a statement as well denouncing the “horrible act,” saying “the noose has long represented a deplorable act of cowardice depravity – a symbol of extreme violence for African Americans. Today’s incident was a painful reminder of the challenges that African Americans continues to face,” Lonnie Bunch III said. “This was a horrible act, but a stark reminder of why our work is so important.”
