We may not have members physically present on the Tennessee Titans stadium jobsite, but we are all part of the same industry. Construction is interconnected across state lines, unions, and companies. When one Black worker is threatened, every Black worker in this industry is threatened.

What occurred in Nashville is not just a local issue. It is a national warning.

What Happened at the Tennessee Titans Jobsite

On June 26, 2024, a noose was discovered hanging from a beam at the construction site of the new Tennessee Titans stadium in East Nashville. Workers immediately reported the incident, and photographs of the noose quickly circulated among union members and on social media, triggering widespread outrage.

In response, Titans CEO Burke Nihill issued a statement condemning the act as a “cowardly act of hate,” affirming that it violates the organization’s values and pledging cooperation with authorities to hold those responsible accountable. The Greater Nashville Building and Construction Trades Council, led by President Billy Dycus, also denounced the incident, emphasizing that workers deserve safety and respect on every jobsite.

The Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed that an investigation is underway. At the same time, local activists, labor leaders, and civil rights organizations called for swift accountability and stronger protections for Black workers on publicly funded projects.

Not Just a Symbol – A Direct Threat

This was not a prank. This was not a joke. This was not a misunderstood symbol.

The noose is a weapon.

It is a symbol of racial terrorism, rooted in centuries of lynching, torture, and violence used to enforce white supremacy through fear and death. Its presence on a modern construction site in 2024 sends a clear message of intimidation and exclusion.

What makes this act even more alarming is that it occurred on a taxpayer-funded project. That includes the hard-earned money of Black families, Black contractors, and Black labourers.

We are paying into projects from which we are excluded, and when we show up, we are met with threats.

A Publicly Funded Betrayal

The Tennessee Titans stadium is a billion-dollar development, supported in part by public funds. That means Black residents are financially invested in a project where Black workers are being terrorized off the job.

This is not just hate. This is betrayal.

Racism cannot be separated from economics. Economic exclusion is violence, and when it is paired with symbols of racial terror, the message becomes unmistakable: We want your money, but not your presence.

Why This Keeps Happening

This is not the first noose found on a jobsite, and unless the industry changes, it will not be the last.

We have seen similar incidents at:

• Amazon warehouses (2022)

• Georgia power plants (2018)

• Jobsites across Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Louisiana, and Texas

Each time, the response sounds familiar:

“We’re investigating.”
“This doesn’t reflect our values.”
“This isn’t who we are.”

Yet it keeps happening because, without real consequences, these statements mean nothing. Hate persists where accountability is absent.

Black Contractors Built This Country

Black contractors built America.

We built the railroads, highways, levees, ports, and steel frameworks of cities, often while being denied ownership, leadership, and opportunity. We have fought for inclusion through organising, litigation, advocacy, and perseverance.

So when a noose appears on a jobsite, it is not just an insult; it is erasure. It is a declaration that Black lives and labour are not valued, despite our historic and ongoing contributions.

A Call for Action and Accountability

Though this incident occurred in Tennessee, its implications reach every construction site in the United States. The Black Contractors Association – Alabama Chapter formally demands:

1. A Full and Transparent Investigation

Those responsible must be identified, publicly named, removed from the project, and criminally prosecuted.

2. Mandatory Anti-Racism and Jobsite Safety Training

Not symbolic workshops or checkbox videos, but meaningful, union-integrated training with enforceable accountability measures.

3. Immediate Inclusion of Black Contractors and Workers on All Public Projects

Representation is not charity. It is equity. It is owed.

4. A National Contractor Code of Conduct

A clear, enforceable standard outlining prohibited behavior, hate symbols, and harassment paired with real consequences.

Silence Is Complicity

Every time this behavior goes unanswered, the industry sends a dangerous message:
Your labor is required. Your safety is optional.

That is no longer acceptable.

We are watching.
We are organizing.
And we are protecting one another because history has shown us that accountability only comes when it is demanded.

To Our Brothers and Sisters in Tennessee

To every Black worker who showed up to that jobsite before and after the noose was found:

We see you.
We believe you.
We stand with you.

You belong on every jobsite in this country not just because of your skill, but because generations before you paid the price for that right with their labor, sweat, blood, and tax dollars.

Final Word

Let the record be clear:

• Hate has no place in our industry.

• Racism has no future in our trades.

• Terror has no home on our jobsites.

If it shows up, we will name it, challenge it, expose it, and expel it.

We are not asking for special treatment.
We demand equal footing, safety, equity, and respect.

And we are not going anywhere.

— Black Contractors Association – Alabama Chapter