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Federal authorities probing racist texts sent to Black students

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Federal authorities probing racist texts sent to Black students

Nov 12, 2024 | 12:37 pm ET
By Sam Stockard
Federal authorities probing racist texts sent to Black students
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Jubilee Hall at historically Black Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. The school reported Thursday students have been receiving concerning text messages. (Photo: John Partipilo)

The FBI is investigating multiple racist text messages sent to students at Fisk University and campuses nationwide, TBI Director David Rausch said Tuesday.

Fisk University safety officials went on “high alert” last week, the day after the presidential election, when “disturbing and offensive” messages were sent to people across campus targeting Black students and telling them to report to vans or other transportation that would deliver them to pick cotton at plantations.

Rausch was aware of the incidents and said the FBI is investigating them because they took place nationwide.

“We certainly support their investigations, but we are not specifically engaged at this point,” Rausch said. “There were a number of states that were hit with these, so they’re leading this investigation.”

Fisk’s campus alert said the messages “suggest threats of violence and intimidation and are deeply unsettling.” University officials also said they believe the texts are “likely the work of an automated bot or malicious actors with no real intentions or credibility.”