Following the 2024 presidential election, Black Americans, especially Black students, are receiving racist text messages.
According to The Associated Press, the anonymous messages were sent to many younger folks, including middle schoolers, high school and college students, and reported in Alabama, California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, leading to investigations by the FBI and other agencies.
The outlet reported that some referred to President-elect Donald Trump’s second term while others instructed recipients to arrive at a location at the specified time “with your belongings.”
What did the racist text messages say?
A social media user shared a screenshot of the message they said their grandson received on X, formerly Twitter.
“Greetings, You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Be ready at 1:00 pm SHARP with your belongings. Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Brown Van, be prepared to be searched down once you’ve entered the plantation. You’re in Plantation Group C. good day,” the screenshot text reads.
These are the schools where students are receiving messages
Per the AP, college students at schools like the University of Alabama, South Carolina’s Clemson University and Fisk University, an HBCU in Nashville, Tennessee, said they received the messages.
The Clemson Police Department said it had obtained reports of the “deplorable racially motivated texts and emails” and urged anyone who received one to report it.
Fisk issued a statement on the “deeply unsettling” messages targeting its students, mentioning they likely “were from bots or malicious actors with ‘no real intentions or credibility,’” the AP reported.
On Thursday evening, the FBI issued a statement regarding the offensive and racist messages, saying it was in contact with the Justice Department.
Screenshots of the messages shared online have caused outrage, with many tweeting their thoughts.
“This is what you all wanted. Congrats,” one wrote in part.
Another commented about the racist texts, “and he’s not even officially in office yet.”
“I pray they find everyone who’s connected to those racist plantation text messages,” a third shared.
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