A currently unidentified person or group of people chalked racist slurs and pictures on the archway in front of Moody Music Building during the day Tuesday, according to witnesses and the UA administration.
Witnesses said the vandalism depicted a figure hanging from a noose and several racial slurs and statements. The chalking also reportedly included the words, “I’m an Alabama nigger and I want to be free,” the opening lyrics to a song by country musician Clifford Joseph Trahan, who sang under the pseudonym Johnny Rebel.
According to an administrator in Moody, a black female student reported the chalking, and University of Alabama Police Department was called. After pictures were taken and a police report filed, the messages and pictures were washed away, the administrator said.
University President Robert Witt responded with a university-wide email vaguely detailing and strongly condemning the actions, mirroring his response to the verbal racial harassment of Justin Zimmerman on campus in February of this year.
“I learned late Tuesday afternoon that an unknown person or persons had chalked offensive words on a column of Moody Music Building,” Witt said. “While the entire community would certainly be offended by this language, it could be particularly upsetting to African Americans.
“The words were removed as soon as they were discovered,” the email continued. “However, I want to emphasize in the strongest possible terms that The University of Alabama finds this behavior totally unacceptable and strongly condemns any use of these words on our campus. Every effort will be made to identify and appropriately punish the individual(s) responsible.
“This University respects and values each member of our community,” Witt concluded. “I hope that every decision will reflect that commitment.”
In February, a Delta Tau Delta member used a racial slur toward Zimmerman, a graduate student, as he was walking past the fraternity’s house. Five days later, someone chalked racial slurs and parts of the First Amendment on and around the sidewalks that cross through the Quad. Mark Nelson, Vice President for Student Affairs, sent out an email the same day stating that the chalkings were mean-spirited and unacceptable.
In an email sent at 4:37 p.m. Tuesday, the University announced a new 24-hour hotline allowing students and others to anonymously report incidents of discrimination, harassment or hazing. The hotline number is 205-348-4258 (HALT).
