For some reason, employees of the gift shop at Michigan State University’s Wharton Center for the Performing Arts thought it was a good idea to hang figures of black icons from trees just before the start of Black History Month. Although the university reported that it has since taken down the display, photos of it show that it appeared to feature dolls representing former first lady Michelle Obama, former President Barack Obama, and abolitionist Harriet Tubman, among other black contemporary and historical figures. They were shown hanging from rope, with a noose nearby the figure representing the first black president of the United States. For some who spoke out on Facebook, the display evoked the painful history of the lynching of black people to deter their political and social uprising.
University spokesperson Emily Gerkin Guerrant called the display “inappropriate and insensitive” in a statement on the university’s website on Jan. 31. “Regardless of the intent of the display, its impact cannot be ignored – people were hurt and offended,” Guerrant said. “We sincerely apologize to our community members and have immediately removed the display.”
Michigan State student Krystal Rose Davis-Dunn posted multiple images of the display on Facebook, one of which attracted more than 2,500 comments and was shared more than 7,500 times. “These images evoke a visceral experience... trauma lives in the body,” Davis-Dunn, a black woman, said in the post. “Enough is enough!” Responses to the student's post revealed a wide array of opinions on the display. Sheila Andreason, a white woman, said in one response, “So I'm lynching Santa Claus, little piper boys, dolls, acorns, and every other Christmas ornament when I hang them on my Christmas tree? Get a grip, people! Why read something into this that wasn't ever there. I thought it was nice they were showcasing black leaders for black history month. People choose to be offended when no offense was meant.” Miriam Alvarado said in another response, "Even [though] I'm from Germany, I know enough about the history of black people in US to find this 'display’ absolutely disgusting! How dare anyone to name this 'art'?"
Paule-Equality Jackson, another student at the university and a friend of Davis-Dunn, reposted the woman’s photo on Facebook Saturday and called the display "a blatant symbol of racism, ignorance, and stupidity." She said she felt nothing but “disgust, rage, and sadness” when she spotted the display: “My group of friends and I immediately took pictures and said that this display was offensive and that [it] needed to be taken down. It appears that we were ignored, because one of the cashiers semi-acknowledged what we said, and instead talked to a young white man on how ‘he seemed to really enjoy the show, he must really love jazz.’”
Jackson said she and her friends stormed out of the center, and photos of the display that Davis-Dunn posted on social media went viral. “I was originally advised to avoid making a statement because i didn’t want to have any kind of negative backlash, because I am a black woman in a predominantly white institution,” Jackson said in her post. “And I was afraid that I could get kicked out of school, or something along those lines. But I will not remain silent when faced with racism, and ignorance.” She said the creation of the display “feels deliberate and it feels personal.” “I post this for those people who feel like they can’t speak up,” Jackson said. “I post this to stand in solidarity with my sister. I post this to show how far we still have to go.”
The university said in its statement that the Wharton Center has agreed to give employees and volunteers training focusing on the impact of intentional and unintentional racial bias. “We have work to do, and MSU remains committed to creating a culture that is inclusive and safe for all faculty, staff, students and visitors,” the statement reads. “As we enter Black History Month, it’s important we not only recognize the many contributions of African Americans, but we remember history and confront all bias.”