A historic African-American site in Nantucket, Massachusetts, has been defaced with offensive graffiti and racist slurs.
Vandals last night descended on the 19th century African Meeting House, which houses the Museum of African History, spray painting it with sexually explicit language.
The House – a school, church and gathering spot – played a major role in the day-to-day lives of Nantucket’s black minority population during the 1800s.
The African Meeting House (pictured) was daubed with racist graffiti last night
As many as 20 community members scrubbed and sanded paint off the front door of the building this morning.
Charity-Grace Mofsen, the African Meeting House’s manager, reported being overcome after seeing the words ‘N**** Leave’ and a phallic symbol painted on the front of the 29 York Street building.
Speaking after, she said: ‘I broke down, I was hysterical’.
‘Nantucket has such a rich history, it’s what brought me to the island. Seeing how whites and blacks and natives were able to figure out how to live and work together so early on,’ she told Nantucket’s Inquirer and Mirror.
‘So to see that once again we have people coming together when they see that something is wrong and hateful, we get together and say ‘this is not what we stand for, this is not what our island is about.
‘I think it is good to see people come out and show their support.’
She added on Facebook, along with a picture of the offending graffiti: ‘NO. Not here. Not now. If you’re one of those who think this stuff doesn’t happen, open your eyes!
‘Speak up when you see and hear hate. This island is my home too!’
After the cleanup: Volunteers gathered to clean the building’s facade. By 10am the House (pictured) was clean, and flowers had been placed in front of the entrance
Broke down: Charity Grace Mofsen, the African Meeting House’s manager (pictured with her husband), said she was devastated to find the graffiti
A spokesperson for Nantucket Police Department said the House had ‘touched the lives of escaped slaves, Native Americans, Cape Verdeans, Quakers, educators and abolitionists over its history.’
Police are asking for members of the public with more information involving the vandalism to come forward.