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| Civil Rights Center Says ‘White Power’ Symbol Was Found at Site of Fire | Civil Rights Center Says ‘White Power’ Symbol Was Found at Site of Fire |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A social justice center in Tennessee with deep connections to the civil rights movement said that a fire that engulfed its main office last week may have been intentionally set, after a “symbol connected to the white power movement” was found spray-painted in the parking lot. | A social justice center in Tennessee with deep connections to the civil rights movement said that a fire that engulfed its main office last week may have been intentionally set, after a “symbol connected to the white power movement” was found spray-painted in the parking lot. |
| The organization, the Highlander Research and Education Center, which trained Rosa Parks and hosted the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said it had lost decades of documents and artifacts in the fire at its campus in New Market, Tenn., outside Knoxville. | The organization, the Highlander Research and Education Center, which trained Rosa Parks and hosted the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said it had lost decades of documents and artifacts in the fire at its campus in New Market, Tenn., outside Knoxville. |
| “Because of our history we are not surprised that this space, one where marginalized people working across sectors, geographies and identities show up consistently, has been repeatedly targeted over our 87 years of existence,” Highlander said in a statement this week acknowledging the white power symbol. | “Because of our history we are not surprised that this space, one where marginalized people working across sectors, geographies and identities show up consistently, has been repeatedly targeted over our 87 years of existence,” Highlander said in a statement this week acknowledging the white power symbol. |
| The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office were investigating. | The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office were investigating. |
| A spokesman for the fire marshal’s office said on Wednesday that investigators had not determined the cause of the fire. The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | A spokesman for the fire marshal’s office said on Wednesday that investigators had not determined the cause of the fire. The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| Sheriff Jeff Coffey told The Knoxville News Sentinel that the authorities had found graffiti at the scene that looked like a hashtag. The paper published a photo of the graffiti, which the Anti-Defamation League identified as a symbol that originated with the Iron Guard, a fascist movement in Romania in the 1930s and ’40s. It was unclear when the symbol was painted. | |
| Mark Pitcavage, who studies hate symbols for the Anti-Defamation League, said the symbol was relatively obscure, but had been resurrected by some right-wing extremist groups. Most recently, he said, the man accused of killing 50 people last month at mosques in New Zealand had the symbol painted on one of his guns. | Mark Pitcavage, who studies hate symbols for the Anti-Defamation League, said the symbol was relatively obscure, but had been resurrected by some right-wing extremist groups. Most recently, he said, the man accused of killing 50 people last month at mosques in New Zealand had the symbol painted on one of his guns. |
| The United States has seen a rise in the number of hate crimes and hate groups in recent years, including a marked jump in the number of white nationalist groups. Most hate groups in the United States espouse some form of white supremacist ideology, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. | The United States has seen a rise in the number of hate crimes and hate groups in recent years, including a marked jump in the number of white nationalist groups. Most hate groups in the United States espouse some form of white supremacist ideology, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. |
| The uptick has left many on edge, including people at the Highlander center, which said, “Now is not the time to dismiss how scary things are.” Since 2016, the center said, “the white power movement has become more visible, and we’ve seen that manifest in various ways, both subtle and overt.” | The uptick has left many on edge, including people at the Highlander center, which said, “Now is not the time to dismiss how scary things are.” Since 2016, the center said, “the white power movement has become more visible, and we’ve seen that manifest in various ways, both subtle and overt.” |
| The center, which was founded as the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tenn., in 1932, originally focused on organizing unemployed and working people and brought union organizers together for interracial workshops. But it soon became an incubator for the civil rights movement. | The center, which was founded as the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tenn., in 1932, originally focused on organizing unemployed and working people and brought union organizers together for interracial workshops. But it soon became an incubator for the civil rights movement. |
| In the 1950s, it developed a literacy program that taught thousands of black people to read and write in an effort to help them register to vote. | In the 1950s, it developed a literacy program that taught thousands of black people to read and write in an effort to help them register to vote. |
| In 1955, Ms. Parks attended a civil rights workshop at Highlander, just a few months before she refused to give up her seat on a bus, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott in protest of segregated seating. In 1957, with Ms. Parks in attendance, Dr. King gave closing remarks at a conference marking the Highlander school’s 25th anniversary. | In 1955, Ms. Parks attended a civil rights workshop at Highlander, just a few months before she refused to give up her seat on a bus, sparking the Montgomery bus boycott in protest of segregated seating. In 1957, with Ms. Parks in attendance, Dr. King gave closing remarks at a conference marking the Highlander school’s 25th anniversary. |
| The unofficial anthem of the civil rights movement, “We Shall Overcome,” also has ties to the Highlander center. The school’s music director learned an original version of the song from tobacco workers and taught it to Pete Seeger, whose adaptation spread around the country. | The unofficial anthem of the civil rights movement, “We Shall Overcome,” also has ties to the Highlander center. The school’s music director learned an original version of the song from tobacco workers and taught it to Pete Seeger, whose adaptation spread around the country. |
| The school’s policies, theories and association with high-profile civil rights figures often drew the attention of the authorities. It was investigated for Communist ties in the late 1950s and later shut down in 1961 by the state of Tennessee for holding integrated classes, among other complaints. | The school’s policies, theories and association with high-profile civil rights figures often drew the attention of the authorities. It was investigated for Communist ties in the late 1950s and later shut down in 1961 by the state of Tennessee for holding integrated classes, among other complaints. |
| The school reopened the next day as the Highlander Research and Education Center, according to the center’s website. It has been at its current campus in New Market since 1972. | The school reopened the next day as the Highlander Research and Education Center, according to the center’s website. It has been at its current campus in New Market since 1972. |
| The Wisconsin Historical Society, which maintains the center’s archives, including audio recordings and photographs, said that a majority of its records were safe in Wisconsin. | The Wisconsin Historical Society, which maintains the center’s archives, including audio recordings and photographs, said that a majority of its records were safe in Wisconsin. |
| But the staff at the Highlander center said the “devastating” fire had destroyed “decades of historic documents, speeches, artifacts and memorabilia from movements of all kinds, including the civil rights movement.” | But the staff at the Highlander center said the “devastating” fire had destroyed “decades of historic documents, speeches, artifacts and memorabilia from movements of all kinds, including the civil rights movement.” |
| Despite the fire, the Highlander center vowed to continue to be a “sacred place” for marginalized groups. | Despite the fire, the Highlander center vowed to continue to be a “sacred place” for marginalized groups. |
| “This is a time for building our power,” the statement said. “Now is the time to be vigilant. To love each other and support each other and to keep each other safe in turbulent times.” | “This is a time for building our power,” the statement said. “Now is the time to be vigilant. To love each other and support each other and to keep each other safe in turbulent times.” |