A racist poster has been found on a light pole in front of Cudahy Hall and brought to public attention yesterday, but it is unclear how long the poster has been displayed.
At approximately 3:53 p.m. on Tuesday, The Marquette University Police Department sent a campus-wide safety email regarding the investigation.
“Although this poster was found on our campus, at this time we do not know who is responsible for posting it,” MUPD said in an email.
The image used in the poster shows a Black person in a iron gag mask and punishment collar, which was “used when enslaved people tried to run away after being captured by the slave traders,” and inflicted pain when they would run into objects such as trees and bushes.
The poster can be seen in its entirety on the Black Student Council Instagram page.
“We would like to state that the black student council does not and will not tolerate racism on our campus in any capacity,” Marquette Black Student Council said in an Instagram post. “This may be only one flyer but it is not the only racial incident to happen on campus, there is a very serious level of discrimination that happens on Marquette university every single day that students of color are forced to experience.”
BSC released an additional statement Sunday regarding the impending investigation.
“A continuous and disheartening number of students have come to us expressing how they’ve been racially profiled by their professors or classmates,” BSC said in in an instagram post on May. 8. “On a weekly, if not daily basis, many Black students within the university are experiencing triggering events, making them feel as though they must transfer to receive an authentic college experience.
Several students have commented on the post, tagging both University President Michael Lovell and Marquette.
Three hours after BSC shared the post and called upon Lovell and the university to address the entire campus that “the ongoing racism that students of color face will be resolved,” Lovell responded with a statement on his Instagram post.
“Marquette University is aware that a racist poster was found displayed on a public light pole on campus along Wisconsin Ave, and it has been removed. As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, we are called to build a nurturing, inclusive community where all people feel safe, supported, welcomed and celebrated. Racism and discrimination have no place on our campus,” Lovell said.
Lovell also stated in the post that the Marquette University Police Department has launched an investigation to “determine the parties responsible” and that community members can contact MUPD if they have more information.
“Seeing the poster made me feel some type of way,” Phillip Jones, a sophomore in the College of Communication, said. “How am I around all these people and they feel this way about Black people, and I hope that the university finds whoever is responsible and that they get the punishment they deserve.”
The following day, a second poster was posted outside of Johnston Hall.
MUPD has made no comment on the investigation regarding the second poster. However, Tuesday evening an MUPD officer was seen taking photos of the poster as well as taking it down.
This story is developing
This story was written by TJ Dysart. He can be reached at [email protected].
