During the same time at which Lehigh was taking heat for its response to the killing of George Floyd, the university — twice — removed pro-Black Lives Matter images on its campus.
Courtesy of Chris Woods
Chris Woods, ‘19, noticed the images and their removal on his daily walks up South Mountain. The images appeared on rocks about halfway between the ATO fraternity house and the Lehigh lookout.
On June 2 — the same day an open letter circulated calling on President John Simon, Board of Trustees Chairman Kevin Clayton and the university to do more to combat racism and injustice — Woods noticed a drawing of what appears to be Floyd alongside the words, “Don’t forget.” The open letter was signed by over 2,300 people in about a day, including students, staff, faculty and alumni.
The next day — the same day Simon and Clayton responded to the open letter, vowing to do more to make Lehigh actively “anti-racist” — Woods noticed the image was gone.
Later that week, on June 7, another image appeared on the same rock wall, reading, “We won’t be silenced #BLM” with a drawing of a raised fist alongside the text.
The same thing happened. On June 8, the image was gone.
The timing stuck out to Woods.
“When I first saw the image up, I thought that it was a powerful message and I thought that it was important and its location on the big flat of the rock, it really stood out and made an impression on me,” he said. “And then the next day, it was in the midst of John Simon releasing a half-hearted message about race and so… I thought, ‘That’s not right, they should’ve left that up.”
Lori Friedman, Lehigh’s media relations director, said the university was responsible for removing the images.
“The image and lettering was removed as part of routine facilities maintenance of the Lehigh campus without any intention aimed at erasing signs of protest,” she said. “Our general policy is to remove any unapproved markings on university property.”
She added that the university is assessing “at every level” how to make Lehigh anti-racist. She said Lehigh is working to understand how routine practices like facilities maintenance exists “in a wider context and that even without any ill intention, actions have impact.”
“To that end, we commit to a reassessment of our facilities maintenance approach when it comes to markings made by the Lehigh community on campus,” Friedman said. “Lehigh University stands in solidarity as allies in the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks to bring justice, healing and freedom to Black people across the globe.”
And yet, these images that surfaced in the past 10 days were not alone on the Hill.
Jordan Wolman/B&W Staff
In fact, painted rocks are a well-known sight along the roads of Lehigh’s campus set aside for Greek chapter houses. Many of these images feature Greek letters and symbols associated with the various chapters.
Friedman said permission was granted for those images in advance.
“It felt like hypocrisy to allow one sort of expression on rocks on that same road, and for whatever reason, this was in violation of what Lehigh wants aesthetically,” Woods said. “It sent the message that that’s not what Lehigh wants.”
The content managers of @notmylehigh, an anonymous Instagram account dedicated to publishing statements and acts of prejudice on Lehigh’s campus, said the issue at hand of police brutality is “urgent” and is not something that can “wait for an approval process,” but rather needs to be “seen and heard by everyone immediately.”
The content managers of the Instagram account called the university’s response “tone-deaf.”
Jordan Wolman/B&W Staff
“Lehigh prides itself on its Principles of Our Equitable Community, yet time and time again, shuts out voices that try to stand up for students of color,” the content managers said. “This failure to acknowledge meaningful messaging is not surprising, considering the administration’s failure to provide resources, create support systems or contribute to any meaningful or actionable change thus far.”
Sirry Alang, an associate professor in sociology and health, medicine and society, said the university’s actions “fit well with the university’s history of silencing the voices of student activists.”
“I think the university just needs to be transparent and say they do not want BLM protest signs displayed on campus. And we can then start having a conversation about why,” Alang said. “There are black students, staff and faculty on campus. Actions such as erasing BLM protests signs and inactions tell us very clearly whether and how we are valued at Lehigh. Thankfully, messages such as those from the CAS dean and the Council for Equity and Community are reassuring.”
Jordan Wolman/B&W Staff
Woods said he thinks Simon needs to address the situation. The Brown and White reached out to Simon’s chief of staff for comment but received no response.
“John Simon has sort of taken the spotlight as the communicator of Lehigh’s official position in regards to the original letter (on May 31) and then the open letter,” Woods said. “The buck stops with him and he’s got to be the one who responds to this.”
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7 Comments
This is great news, someone finally has a backbone at Lehigh. Go to NYC if you want to deface private property. Plenty of boarded up destroyed stores to test your spray painting artistry
Excellent point I am in full agreement with the way Lehigh went about this removal !
ALL LIVES MATTER! Announcing only one color of lives matter is utmost RACIST! “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever (Brown, Red, Yellow, Black, White) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 ALL LIVES MATTER!!!
Matthew 7: 12 & 22: 34-40
Both sad and unfortunate. Allowing these images to remain in spite of their not complying with “normal” procedures would have been an easy yet meaningful way to show support and to convey a genuine commitment to change during these abnormal times. Hopes dashed so callously by a facilities clean-up.
LU – you never fail to disappoint. This one was so simple, and you still couldn’t get it right.
No words for the posters above. Not worth it. Black students – please know that so many of us stand with you and will be part of the ongoing effort. Thank you to the wonderful Professor Alang, who with her compassion, her spirit, her intelligence, and her passion for dialogue and change, does always get it right. We value you so very much and look to you for guidance and inspiration.
“…tell us very clearly whether and how we are valued at Lehigh.” This statement is not from “an associate professor in sociology and health, medicine and society” but an activist who has that title. Life and sociology are not that simple. Engineering might be fairly black and white but not politics. Let it be said that blacks in America have been subject to injustice, abuse, and inequities for a long time, continuing until today. They are not the only people subject to such treatment but the slavery and the time scale demand preferential solutions. I suppose the argument is that improvement is too slow, and I agree but that is often the case.
“Friedman said. “Lehigh University stands in solidarity as allies in the Black Lives Matter movement, which seeks to bring justice, healing and freedom to Black people across the globe.”” Read the Mission of Black Lives Matter (BLM) and read accounts of what happens in the name of BLM Lehigh may be an ally of “bring justice, healing and freedom to black people across the globe” but not be an ally of BLM. Personally that is my viewpoint. The organization BLM is problematical in my mind. House Majority Whip James Clyburn today mentioned on TV that he and now deceased Rep. John Lewis discussed how BLM may be co-opted by more malevolent groups. This was a concern in the days of Martin Luther King in which Lewis was intimately involved. To me there is evidence that BLM leadership can be considered a malevolent group. To me BLM primary aim is not “justice, healing and freedom” but political power. BLM adherents use blackmail techniques to obtain financing for BLM political action as well as enticing followers with “justice, healing and freedom” claims. The mission statement implies that “justice, healing and freedom” may not be available for me or you until satisfactory (their definition} “justice, healing and freedom” is obtained for BLM adherents. Remember that the Lenin promised “Peace, Land, and Bread.” which was too gain popularity which was ignored when control was achieved. “We’ll ask the man, where do you stand on the question of the revolution? Are you for it or against it? If he’s against it, we’ll stand him up against a wall.”
V.I. Lenin This sounds like the reality of the Bolsheviks, I see a parallel in BLM
I think the golden rule is a good guide for our actions, especially if you assume you are in the position of the other person. Its much harder to justify someone mistreating you that you mistreating others. Jesus expands on this by strengthening the action to one of love. BLM is unnecessary in the words of NIKE “Just do it.
“I think the university just needs to be transparent and say they do not want BLM protest signs displayed on campus. And we can then start having a conversation about why,” Consider the conversation started.
Why does BLM want to defund police rather than getting rid of the rotten fruit in the barrel? Everyone but the rotten fruit and their families wants them gone.