Racist Text Messages Target Black Americans Nationwide

Following the recent presidential election, racist text messages targeting Black individuals have been reported across at least 24 states and Washington, D.C. Recipients, including students from the University of Alabama and other institutions, received messages threatening them with forced labor on plantations, which sparked fear and outrage in the community. Descendants of the historic Stagville Plantation in North Carolina expressed their frustration over the messages, highlighting the disrespect and historical pain associated with such rhetoric. Law enforcement, including the FBI and the Illinois Attorney General, are investigating the source of these messages, with one mobile provider, TextNow, identifying and disabling accounts linked to the offensive texts. Local educators and officials have condemned the messages and are providing support to affected students. The incidents underscore a troubling trend of racially charged threats that have emerged in the wake of the election.