Hunter
07/10/20
University of Iowa officials say the cleanup to remove spray-painted messages during Black Lives Matter protests this summer will cost the school around a million dollars, while another department promises to capture those messages for history.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that removal of paint from Currier, Mayflower, Burge and Daum residence halls is already under way and should be done by the end of July.
Five companies have been hired to do the work, which also includes the UI Hospitals and Clinics, Voxman Music Building, Campus Rec and Wellness Center, the Field House, Van Allen Hall, Phillips Hall, Pappajohn Business Building, Brain Sciences Building, and the Old Capitol and neighboring halls. Kinnick Stadium and the President’s Residence were also hit.
Special care will be taken in cleaning the limestone of the Old Capitol and other buildings that are historic in nature due to their material composition.
UI Libraries are collecting photos of the messages that the Gazette reports will grow and expand with additional documents, video clips, sound recordings and first-person narratives. Archivists at the school say amassing the collection will take time.
Images will eventually be made available for online viewing.