Racist text messages referencing slavery sent to Black individuals, including students as young as middle schoolers, sparked alarm nationwide this week, prompting investigations by the FBI and other agencies.
The anonymous messages, reported in states such as New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, had a similar tone but varied in wording. Some directed recipients to arrive at a specified address “with your belongings,” while others did not include a location. Several texts referenced the upcoming presidential administration.
Authorities have not yet identified those responsible, nor is there a complete record of where the messages were sent, though high school and college students are known to be among those targeted.
The FBI confirmed its coordination with the Justice Department, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it was investigating the texts “in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement.” The Ohio Attorney General’s office also confirmed it was looking into the issue.
In Lodi, California, Tasha Dunham’s 16-year-old daughter received one of the messages Wednesday evening before basketball practice. The message, using her daughter’s name, instructed her to report to a “plantation” in North Carolina—an address they later found to be a museum.
“It was very disturbing,” Dunham shared. “Everyone’s wondering, what does this mean for me? It left us with a lot of fear and concern.”
Initially, her daughter thought it was a prank. But with heightened emotions following Tuesday’s presidential election, Dunham and her family feared it could be something more malicious, prompting them to report it to local authorities.
Reflecting on the message’s historical trauma, Dunham added, “I wasn’t in slavery, my mother wasn’t, but we’re only a few generations removed. Thinking of the brutality our ancestors endured, this is deeply disturbing and concerning.”
