FBI Probes Multi-State Racist Text Campaign Targeting Black Americans
Staff Editor Racist Text Messages Target Black Individuals Across Multiple States, FBI Investigating
A series of racist text messages invoking slavery has been sent to Black individuals, including students, across several states, prompting investigations by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. The messages, reported in New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, varied in wording but shared a similar tone of racial hatred.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is coordinating with the Justice Department, while the Federal Communications Commission is working alongside federal and state law enforcement to investigate the source of these messages. The Ohio Attorney General’s office has also launched an inquiry into the incidents.
In California, Tasha Dunham reported that her daughter received a message directing her to a “plantation” in North Carolina. Similar messages were received by middle school students in Pennsylvania, as well as college students at Clemson University and the University of Alabama. Fisk University in Tennessee addressed the issue, urging calm among its student body.
Wireless providers are actively working to block these threatening spam messages, as the impact on individuals and communities continues to grow. Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel Jr. highlighted the organized nature of the messages, stating, “This was a coordinated attack to create fear in our communities.”
Civil rights organizations have strongly condemned the messages. The Southern Poverty Law Center and NAACP leaders have spoken out against the hate speech, emphasizing its disturbing nature and potential to perpetuate a legacy of racial hatred and intimidation.
Legal experts suggest that civil rights laws could apply to these hate-related incidents. Authorities and community leaders are emphasizing the importance of preventing the normalization of such actions and are working to address the broader implications of these targeted racist messages.
As investigations continue, affected individuals and communities remain on high alert, with many calling for swift action to identify and prosecute those responsible for spreading this racial hatred.
