Vandalized anti-lynching memorial to be removed from park
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV/KSMO) — An anti-lynching memorial that was ripped off of its base and thrown down a cliff at the height of local and national protests last month will be removed Friday while the city works with local groups to determine the best next steps.
The Levi Harrington Memorial Marker stands in Case Park near West Eighth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. It was created to honor Harrington, who was killed in a lynching in Kansas City in 1882.
In early June, while protests raged both in Kansas City and around the country, someone ripped the marker off its base and threw it down a nearby cliff. It’s unclear who vandalized the memorial or what their motivations were.
Kansas City Parks and Recreation retrieved the memorial and re-installed it. However, after speaking with local minority advocacy groups, Parks and Rec decided the marker “requires an inclusive process before taking action,” the department said.
A statement from the department went on to say, “We are committed to coordinating the removal of the damaged marker and the appropriate recognition and ceremony to replace the Levi Harrington Memorial to re-establish our commitment to sharing the truth.”
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