Across Texas and the U.S., Black Americans are reporting receiving anonymous racist text messages targeting students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Angela Luckey, President of the Grand Prairie NAACP, shared that parents have contacted her, alarmed over messages that include students’ names and racist threats about “picking cotton” with specific pickup times and transportation details.
The messages have been reported in states like Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina and are believed to be sent from area codes in at least 25 states. Some numbers have since been disconnected, and others link to TextNow, a service that offers free, anonymous phone numbers. TextNow has stated they are cooperating with authorities to halt this harassment.
The FBI has confirmed awareness of these messages and is coordinating with the Department of Justice and other agencies. They advise recipients to report such messages to local law enforcement or the FBI.