Officials found a “white power” symbol after a fire destroyed a social justice center in Tennessee.
The culturally and historically relevant center hosted civil rights leaders, including Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.
The Highlander Research and Education Center was founded in 1932 in New Market, Tennessee. It has provided training and organizing efforts for all of the emerging social-justice movements in the South since it’s inception.
The center housed decades worth of documents, speeches, and memorabilia that have now been lost due to this fire.
According to NBC News, the “white power” symbol was spray painted on a parking lot adjacent to the main office that was completely destroyed.
“While we don’t know the names of the culprits, we know that the white-power movement has been increasing and consolidating power across the South, across this nation, and globally,” said the Highlander Research and Education Center in a statement. “Since 2016, the white-power movement has become more visible, and we’ve seen that manifest in various ways, both subtle and overt.”
Tennessee officials have launched a full investigation.
