What does a noose stand for? Lakeside Alliance offers $100,000 reward to find culprit behind incident at Obama Presidential Center

A noose was reportedly found at the site of the firm constructing the Obama Presidential Center, leading to the suspension of operations on Thursday.

The Lakeside Alliance, a partner of the construction firm, filed a report about the incident and said they would provide any required assistance to “identify those responsible.”

Trigger Warning: This article may contain mentions of disturbing historical content. Readers' discretion is advised.

The company even offered a $100,000 reward to find the culprit behind the incident.

A hangman’s noose often stands as a symbol of lynching and is considered to be one of the most brutal symbols directed against African-Americans.

An official statement from the firm mentioned that the company has a zero-tolerance policy for hate and bias on their worksite, and their onboarding process includes anti-bias training.

They said:

“We have zero tolerance for any form of bias or hate on our worksite. Anti-bias training is included in our on-boarding process and reiterated during site-wide meetings.”

The statement further added:

“We are suspending all operations onsite in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers.”

The Obama Foundation also issued a statement regarding the situation and clarified that it prioritizes the health and safety of its workforce.

They said:

“This shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us. Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce.”

The Obama Presidential Center broke ground in September 2021 and is scheduled to open in 2025. The center will preserve materials from Barack Obama's term as president, including a museum, a plaza, a rooftop garden, and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Sgt. Rocco Alioto said that the Chicago Police Department is aware of the incident and is currently investigating the matter. Lara Cooper, an alliance spokeswoman, said she could not comment on whether the suspect is a worker at the site or how the halt in operations will affect the work.

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A noose is viewed as a symbol of brutality and hatred against African-Americans in the US

A noose is viewed as a symbol of brutality and hatred against African-Americans (image via Getty Images)

In simple terms, a noose can be defined as a circular loop at the end of a rope or wire tied with a knot that allows it to be tightened. According to the Collins Dictionary, it is often used to trap animals and can also be referred to as a symbol of a rope that hangs people (hangman’s noose).

It is often viewed as a symbol of brutality, hatred, and fear against African-Americans in the US as it reflects on the country’s dark history of racial violence. Jack Shuler, associate professor at Denison University and author of The Thirteenth Turn: A History of the Noose, told CNN:

“The noose always means much more than a knot in a rope. It was a tool used to kill people and, therefore, it is a threat – it is violent speech.”

As per the NAACP, more than 4,700 people were lynched in the US between 1882 and 1968, with 73% of the victims being African-Americans. These people were reportedly hung from trees, beaten to death, or lynched over minor crimes.

Shuler noted that despite its brutal nature, these lynchings were not considered murders.

He said:

“Lynching is not the same as private murder. It means an extrajudicial killing for an alleged crime by three or more persons. There must be some evidence that a community supported the act – either actively or through their collective inaction.”

The professor noted that although lynching is mainly associated with hanging a victim with a noose, it also involves other brutal methods of death, as he stated:

“Though most often associated with being hanged by a noose, lynching also involved victims being tortured to death, burned alive, or riddled with bullet holes. Typically, the victim was hanged and then the body was mutilated.”

According to CNN, hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan were responsible for these killings. Meanwhile, Shuler mentioned that in some places entire communities gathered to watch African-Americans being tortured and hanged to death.

Although lynchings in America reportedly subsided by the late 1960s, the symbol of the noose is still associated with its brutal history.

Shuler said anyone using the tool or its symbol today is well aware of its meaning and the effect it has on African-Americans.

He continued:

“If you knew anything about the history of American lynching then you wouldn’t tie that knot without doing so for the expressed person of threatening another person.”

In recent years, several noose symbols have reportedly been found on college campuses, construction sites, and public places like parks and fences, and have been largely condemned by the African-American community.