A historic Dallas memorial honoring formerly enslaved Black Americans has been vandalized, leaving community members heartbroken and demanding greater protection for the sacred site.

According to Dallas Police, multiple people were seen at Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial removing plaques at about 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 1.

The bronze plaques, which included 10 poems written by local students, celebrated the perseverance and legacy of Black Americans in Dallas.

Clarence Glover, a former professor of African American Studies at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Dallas County Pioneer Association, said the theft feels deeply personal.

“It’s a tragedy, of course. It’s a travesty because it reflects our history both as African Americans and as a city,” Glover said.

He pointed to the

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