A noose was found inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) on Wednesday, a source confirmed to WUSA9's Lesli Foster.
The noose was found in the segregation section of the history galleries by museum visitors. The investigation is ongoing.
The NMAAHC released the following statement on Wednesday:
"The noose has long represented a deplorable act of cowardice and depravity - a symbol of extreme violence for African Americans. Today's incident is a painful reminder of the challenges that African Americans continue to face.Our museum is a place of learning and solace, a place to remember, to reflect and to engage in important discussions that help change America.
This was a horrible act but it is a stark reminder of why our work is so important."
A statement from our Founding Director Lonnie Bunch on the noose found in our history galleries today. pic.twitter.com/sFWVSaobhV
— Smithsonian NMAAHC (@NMAAHC) May 31, 2017
No further information has been released at this time.
We will update this story when more information becomes available.
