On Wednesday morning, Duke University students found a rope noose hanging from a tree in the Bryan Center Plaza. In a region, lynchings were once used to terrorize black residents. Now, the university officials have been trying to figure out who hung the rope noose.

Students, faculty and others gathered in front of the university's Gothic chapel building to express outrage about the noose. President Richard Brodhead told the crowd that their presence was a rejection of that symbol. He said that administrators and campus police have been investing who hung the rope, but it is up to students and faculty to reject racism.

He further said, "One person put up that noose, but this is the multitude of people who got together to say that's not the Duke we want. That's not the Duke we're here for, and that's not the Duke we're here to create".

According to Duke University officials, the noose was found on Wednesday at about 2 am in the plaza outside the Bryan Center. Henry Washington, vice president of Black Student Alliance, said that he and some other students saw the noose. According to Washington, they were alerted about the noose via Twitter. After that, they wanted to check whether it was actual thing. When they checked, the rope was there, according to Washington.

School spokesman Keith Lawrence said that both police and Duke Administrators have been investing. Earlier, President Richard Brodhead and Provost Sally Kornbluth sent a mail to students, where they mentioned that Duke Campus has been jolted over the last few weeks by many racial incidents. They also said about a report of hateful speech directed at students on East Campus.

Earlier, Brodhead, Washington and some other members of the Black Student Alliance scheduled a meeting on Wednesday morning to talk about atmosphere of the campus for blacks.