Noose hung from gates of McKenna Museum of African Arts In New Orleans

A noose was found today on the gates of the McKenna Museum of African American Art.


From blogger Kataalyst Alcindor comes this powerful piece about discovering a noose hanging from the gates of the museum. Kataalyst's blog deeper than soil offers power and outrage. deeper than soil.

Today was going to be such a beautiful day, I had willed it to be so. Until my day was shattered by a foot-long inch of nylon looped and crafted after a tool to suffocate the life out of too many of my ancestors. A Noose was found hanging precisely on the onyx bars to keep hate and evil out as an forget-me-not. Proof that hatred will come knocking on your door even if no one will answer. Blinded with rage, The only thing I could do was whisper a prayer to The Most High begging to not let me find whoever done this, it would so easily become a assault with intentions of manslaughter. I raced to The Trolly Stop in hopes to find police officers who so often frequent the restaurant, luckily I find a couple off duties and direct them to the scene of vandalism. Awaiting the squad car I debated on running to the apartment to grab my web camera and thought, "Of all days I would't bring my camera, Today would be the day!" The Caucasian Woman Officer jumped out of her car and asked about the crime. I could only shake my head and point at the unwanted adornment. The color of her face drained away to her knees. "O Shit." all she could say was "O Shit." "Yeah." I said. She kept apologizing for me seeing such a thing and I don't know if it was the rage talking but it felt like Honestly, she was apologizing for her race. I know I shouldn't say that but I'm sure some White folks wish that other white folks would just vanish from the face of the earth.(My first draft picks are Rush & Glen.) We filed out a report and against my will she took down the noose and placed it in the car, the gave me a slip to possibly pick it up from the station as if it was a drunken family member I care enough about to bail out of prison. I still don't don't know how to feel but fury & scorn. This felt like watching a man slap your mother in the face, The McKenna is a place of peace, vibrancy & love. I can only take this as a lesson that ignorance still thrives in this old southern city and it still hides its face in the dead of night rather than face the sun.

Hopeful the vandal knows that realizes that a home build on love will never be conquered by something as small as weathered ropes and a obsolete message.

Peace.

Please hold the museum and the community in the Light.