*Administrators at American University in Washington, DC, are investigating an incident that took place on Monday (May 1) involving several bananas that were found hanging from nooses and marked with racially offensive messages.
They were found the same day that Taylor Dumpson, a black female student and member of black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, took office as American University Student Government (AUSG) President.
Photos of the bananas show racist messages scrawled on them, like “Harambe bait,” which referenced the gorilla that was shot and killed at Cincinnati Zoo last year, and all were marked with the letters “AKA,” referring to Dumpson’s sorority.
NEW: @AUPublicSafety investigating racist incident involving bananas hung from string around campus https://t.co/4GrF4eSX55 pic.twitter.com/oet10fleWu
— The Eagle (@TheEagleOnline) May 1, 2017
Dumpson, who is also the school’s first black female student government president, released a statement about the incident, saying it was “disheartening and immensely frustrating that we are still dealing with this issue after recent conversations, dialogues, and town halls surrounding race relations on campus.”
She urged her fellow students to “unite in solidarity with those impacted by this situation,” and to “use this time to reflect on what we value as a community and we must show that bigotry, hate, and racism cannot and will not be tolerated.”
University President Neil Kerwin echoed her sentiment in his own statement, calling the racist act a “crude and racially insensitive act of bigotry.”
Kerwin emphasized that racist acts are “done to instill fear and inflict pain” on campus, and reassured students that “American University remains committed to principles of diversity, inclusion, common courtesy, and human dignity.”
Reaction on Twitter:
There isn’t a black person that went to #americanuniversity that is surprised about this incident. At all.
— B.B. Homemaker ? (@cacaobunni) May 2, 2017
When @AmericanU sends emails and does nothing as usual pic.twitter.com/MoD7KcbGQ2
— naria (@nariaalexandria) May 1, 2017
Dear Potential @AmericanU students of color: just don’t come here.
Dear @AmericanU: stop fronting like you care about minorities. pic.twitter.com/esMTeSVX1o— BLACK (@bootlegjesus_) May 1, 2017
.@AmericanU You need to take this incident very seriously. Listen to Black students & their needs. The @AmericanUAlum community is watching
— Ferenc G. Koszorus (@fgkoszorus) May 2, 2017
Hey @AmericanU next time you want to call my family or me asking for money, use that time to find and expel students who threaten POC at AU
— Morgan (@morganlizzie95) May 1, 2017
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