Racist text messages target Black individuals, urging them to pick cotton on plantation

In multiple states, Black women, men, and students have reported receiving racist text messages from unknown sources. Thee texts urge them to report to a plantation to pick cotton, report for slavery, and other morally reprehensible acts. The FBI has been made aware of these developments.“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter,” the FBI said in a statement Thursday.NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson shared this statement after hearing the news:“The unfortunate reality of electing a President who, historically has embraced, and at times encouraged hate, is unfolding before our eyes.& These messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after Tuesday’s election results.We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – there is no place for hate in a democracy. The threat—and the mention of slavery in 2024—is not only deeply disturbing, but perpetuates a legacy of evil that dates back to before the Jim Crow...