A poster that has hung virtually unnoticed by students in the Lowell House dining hall for years was removed yesterday, after a student joined employees in complaining that the picture reinforced racial stereotypes.

The poster, which depicts seven small black figures carrying over-sized watermelons and eggplants on their heads through a field, hung in the serving area of the dining hall, immediately opposite the hot entree line.

According to Mellody R. Hayes '99, who issued the complaint, the poster was blatantly offensive.

"The poster was racist," said Hayes, who is black. "It was building on stereotypes of black people enjoying watermelon."

One dining hall employee, who requested anonymity, said workers have complained amongst themselves since the painting first arrived close to five years ago.

"It looks like a bunch of black people carrying fruit, like they can't do anything else," she said.

The employee, who said she herself finds the painting "somewhat offensive," said workers haven't complained officially to their employers out of fear they would be ignored.

"Nobody's going to listen to me if I say anything" she said "If the students complain, maybe they'll do something. I can't say anything. I'll stay quiet."

Hayes said she is surprised that the painting hung for so long without Complaint.

"I'm really horrified that it has been there solong," she said. "I don't think I should have tocomplain about this for something to get down."

"It shouldn't take a Harvard student. Theyshould listen to the employees," Hayes added.

But according to Harvard Dining Servicesproduction manager Donn S. Leonard, who works inthe Lowell dining hall, the picture had nevergenerated complaint until yesterday.

"It was on the wall all of last year," he said."It was up, and no one said anything about it."

Leonard, who was the first person to receiveHayes' complaint, said he personally found nothingoffensive about the picture.

"I quickly looked at the picture. To me, it'sjust a picture," he said. "It was bought tobrighten up the serving area, along with the otherpaintings."

After Hayes' initial complaint, employeesremoved the poster for the lunch hour. It wasreplaced in the early afternoon and then removedpermanently around 4 p.m.

"The painting was first] taken downinappropriately and without my authorization,"said Unit Manager Charles R. Lambert, who runs theLowell dining hall.

"I wanted to speak with the students before itwas taken down," he added.

Lambert said he left a message with one studentand then chose to go ahead and remove the picture.

"I don't want anyone to be offended," he said."I want to create a happy atmosphere in my dininghall."

Students said they were pleased to learn theposter has been removed.

"I've always thought it's inappropriate," saidLowell resident Jill MacQuarrie '00, who is white.

"With all the black fieldworkers., it suggeststimes of slavery," she said.

But many students said they had never noticedthe colorful poster before it was removed.

"It I didn't even see it, it probably wasn'tthat important," said Nicole M. Christoff '00, whois white.

The Painting was replaced by a watercolorocean-side scene of flower vases