The day following the historic 2024 presidential election, Black Americans across the United States, including students from Georgia, Alabama, and other states, began receiving racist text messages from unknown sources.
These messages, described as hate-fueled and offensive, have incited strong reactions from both affected individuals and organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which condemns the attacks as a “public spectacle of hatred and racism.”
The SPLC, an Alabama-based organization dedicated to fighting extremism, highlighted the need for leadership and systemic actions to address racial hatred in America.
Margaret Huang, the SPLC’s president and CEO, issued a statement addressing the situation, saying, “The text sent to young Black people, including students at Alabama State University and the University of Alabama, is a public spectacle of hatred and racism that makes a mockery of our civil rights history. Hate speech has no place in the South or in our nation. Leaders at all levels must condemn anti-Black racism, in any form, whenever we see it, and we must follow our words with actions that advance racial justice and build an inclusive democracy where every person feels safe and welcome in their community.”
After the Presidential election, many people across the U.S. have been getting this racist text message from an unknown source.
This screenshot is from a @FOX8NOLA viewer in the New Orleans area. pic.twitter.com/3hGBZdJsXD
— Andrés Fuentes (@news_fuentes) November 7, 2024
One specific instance was reported by Tammy Brown, whose son Jayson, a student in the aviation department at Middle Georgia State University, was among those targeted. She detailed that a classmate had shared a racist message in a group chat used for academic purposes.
“One of Jayson’s classmates posted a video on Snapchat with the caption, ‘king racism is back, b***h.’ This same student also shared the following message in the group chat: ‘Greetings…You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. Be ready at 12 pm sharp with your belongings. Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Brown Van, be prepared to be searched down once you’ve entered the plantation. You are in Plantation Group S,’” Tammy Brown recounted.
The experience has had significant emotional and physical consequences for Jayson, leading him to skip classes and even visit a medical professional. Tammy Brown shared that her son was deeply shaken by the events, resulting in his decision to withdraw from his studies temporarily.
“He was unable to attend classes on November 6 and 7 and was seen by a medical physician, who provided a note excusing him from school for a few days,” she explained. The anxiety and distress from this episode ultimately led Jayson to withdraw from the university for the remainder of the semester.
Tammy Brown is calling on Middle Georgia State University to allow her son’s withdrawal without penalties, investigate the incident thoroughly, implement stronger anti-discrimination policies, and enhance diversity training.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has acknowledged awareness of the hateful messages and is working closely with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies. In response to the widespread incident, TextNow, a communications platform involved in the dissemination of some messages, also acted swiftly to disable the account linked to the hateful texts.
TextNow stated, “As soon as we became aware, our Trust & Safety team acted quickly and disabled the related accounts in less than an hour. As part of our investigation into these messages, we learned they have been sent through multiple carriers across the U.S. and we are working with partners and law enforcement cooperatively to investigate this attack.”
TextNow, which has provided affordable messaging services to Americans since its founding in 2009, further emphasized its commitment to inclusivity and opposition to the misuse of its platform for harassment or spam.
The racist messages come in the wake of a highly polarized election, where former President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, quelling her bid to become the first woman and person of color to assume the U.S. presidency.
This context has heightened tensions, with many individuals and communities across the country concerned about the resurgence of racially motivated hostility.
The incident has sparked not only outrage but also calls for systemic changes in the academic, social, and law enforcement sectors to provide safe and supportive spaces for Black Americans.
Huang’s statement calling for accountability and change underscores the importance of collective efforts to tackle racism at institutional and community levels.
As more details emerge from ongoing investigations, advocates, and organizations remain focused on combating the surge in racial intolerance with meaningful action, hoping to foster an environment where individuals can coexist without fear of discrimination or harassment.
