Macon replaces defaced MLK signs, erases racist graffiti outside of Tubman Museum
Bibb County crews repaired defaced Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard street signs and erased racist graffiti outside the Tubman Museum in downtown Macon Tuesday.
Three street signs were vandalized, with black spray paint covering the “MLK” portion of the sign, at the Elm and Plum intersections and near the Douglass Theatre, a theater formerly owned by and named after Black businessman Charles Douglass. Racist graffiti was spray-painted on a sidewalk outside of the Tubman Museum, named after abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman.
The museum’s mission is to educate people on “African American culture and history.” Earlier this month, thousands of protesters gathered outside the museum for a Black Lives Matter march through Macon.
“My staff has over a million signs to manage,” Bibb County Director of Facilities Management Robert Ryals said outside of the Douglass Theatre before his staff replaced a MLK Boulevard sign. “Fortunately, we’ve only had three different locations. This takes guys away from what they would normally be doing for unnecessary, foolish stuff like this.”
The graffiti in front of the Tubman Museum was powerwashed by the county’s parks and beautification department early Tuesday morning. Ryals noted that Bibb County manufactures its own street signs and keeps material on-hand, so his department was able to quickly remove, fabricate and install three new street signs. That cost to the county about $250. A city spokesman said crews traveled the length of MLK Boulevard to check road signs and also checked on local memorials and monuments.
“Macon-Bibb has a lot to be proud of,” Ryals said. “I think everything has been handled well Protests have been peaceful. This is the first instance of vandalism. This is foolishness. This is not the way to get your point across at all. This was no accident; it was totally deliberate. It really makes me mad.”
Ryals encouraged people to report damage to the county — county staff saw reports of the damage on social media. To report damage to county property, comment on the Macon-Bibb Facebook page, use the SeeClickFix webpage, or call 478-751-7400 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
