Portraits Of Black Faculty Members Defaced At Harvard Law
CAMBRIDGE (CBS) -- They were very powerful images on the walls at Harvard Law School and some are wondering if it's a hate crime.
The faces of tenured black professors were discovered covered with electrical tape over their photographs. It not only shocked the campus, but even created fear.
"It's an overt act of disrespect and intolerance and racism, so for someone to take that step what happens now," said student Deloris Wilson.
It prompted what's described by those who attended as an emotional community meeting today among students and faculty.
Student Michele Hall says it's a long overdue discussion of race relations on campus and in the curriculum.
"Often times people speak up about how the law is not applied fairly across all parties and they get silenced," said Hall.
There was speculation the defacement followed a rally on campus in support of mass protests that have erupted over racial tensions at other college campuses in recent weeks.
"Students are tapping into a sentiment and emotion taking place across the entire nation," said student Mustafa Abdul-Jabbar.
By mid-morning the tape was gone and replaced with posted messages of support for the targeted professors. It has served to mobilize students to change the message.
"It was a hateful act done in the cloak of darkness. I think the message is clear that these black professors don't belong just like we black students don't belong," said Michele Hall.
Harvard University said the incident is under investigation.