Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, recently published an annual report. A large photograph of university executives was included. The photograph was taken inside the cupola of Main Hall on campus. It has been a tradition on campus for students to be granted entrance to the cupola to write their names on the wall.
But after the annual report was published, an alumnus of the university noticed that the word “nigger” had been written in chalk on the wall behind the executives. The racial slur is very small in the printed photograph but is clearly noticeable, particularly when the photograph is magnified.
The university used computer software to eliminate the slur in an updated version of the annual report. The slur was removed from the wall. Craig L. Cagnon, associate vice president of communications at the university issued a statement apologizing for the publication of the slur. He noted that the graffiti could have been written a decade ago or even a century ago.
Lawrence University enrolls about 1,560 students. African Americans make up 3 percent of the undergraduate student body.
