In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election victory, reports emerged of racist text messages sent to numerous Black individuals across the United States. According to news sources and social media screenshots, the messages have sparked widespread concern. Mashable confirmed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that the agency is aware of the situation. The FBI stated it is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities to investigate the matter.
The offensive messages, which varied slightly in content, included instructions for recipients to “pick cotton at the nearest plantation.” They further directed individuals to prepare their belongings and wait for a vehicle to pick them up at a specified time. One version of the message even congratulated the recipient, signing off as a “Trump supporter.”
Reports surfaced on social media indicating that Black students at universities, including the University of Alabama, Clemson University, and Alabama State University, received the text. Benjamin Johnson, assistant vice president of media and public relations at The Ohio State University, confirmed that students at his institution had also received similar messages. He added that these incidents had been reported to the university’s Office of Institutional Equity, which handles harassment and discrimination complaints. The university has since offered support to affected students.
Additionally, local media outlets in Detroit and Atlanta reported that Black women in those areas had received the racist texts. At present, the sender of the messages remains unidentified. Following Trump’s 2016 election, there was an increase in “hate incidents,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The FBI encouraged those who receive similar threatening messages to report any physical threats to local law enforcement authorities.