Racist texts about picking cotton target Michigan students after presidential election
In the wake of Republican Donald Trump winning the presidential election, scores of Black students across the country - including many in Michigan - have reported being threatened and racially harassed in disturbing text messages that warn of being sent to a plantation to pick cotton.
The Detroit Free Press has learned of multiple such incidents in Michigan, including four Black female students at North Farmington High School, four teens in the Grand Rapids area, and five students at Grand Valley State University, including one who reported being threatened and racially harassed by a group of people on campus after the election.
The source of the text messages threats remain unknown as many texts are coming from different phone numbers across the country, making them difficult to trace, though they include a comment theme: that the recipient "has been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation." One sent to a teenage girl in the Grand Rapids area ended with the hashtag #MAGA.
"Greetings! You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation," the message read. "PLEASE be ready by 12 am November 15, 2024! NO EXCEPTIONS !! Bring all of your belongs our Exclusive slaves will be there by 11:45 to pick you up in a Large Brown van, Be prepared to get searched and patted down once inside of the plantation A 1st cabin to your right ! -Thank you."
The girl's aunt, who lives in Grand Rapids, expressed fear and outrage.
"Upset is an understatement," the woman, Frances Carmona, told Wood TV in an interview Thursday. "I don't know what's happening. I knew things were going to happen after the election, but not the day after. You know, it is kind of scary. It's frightening. Now at night, I worry about can somebody come in and kick the door down like they used to and drag you out?"
Multiple students at the University of Alabama received similar texts, including this one:
"Be ready at 1:00 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 C. Good day." Multiple such texts were reported at the University of Alabama, iaccording to the Crimson White.
This alarming national trend has fallen on the radar of the FBI, though the nation's top law enforcement agency will neither confirm nor deny an investigation into these texts, stating only:
"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. As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities."
The FBI Detroit branch would not comment on any specifics of any complaints, nor would it confirm or deny that there is a local investigation into these text message threats.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement that her office is both aware and investigating what she described as "disturbing, racist test messages that are being reported across the country."
"We are contacting state and federal law enforcement agencies and the Anti-Robocall Multi-State Litigation Task Force to learn all we can about these potentially criminal messages and those responsible," the statement reads.
Trump campaign spokesman Brian Hughes condemned the texts and called it "absolute nonsense" to link the president to the messages.
"If we can find the origin of these messages which promote this kind of ugliness in our name we will obviously take legal action to stop it," Hughes said in a statement to NBC News.
"President Trump built a diverse and broad coalition of support, with voters of all races and backgrounds," he added. "The result was a landslide victory for his common sense mandate for change. This will result in a second term that is beneficial to every working man and woman in our nation."
Meanwhile, school officials, parents and students are expressing alarm and outrage over the trend, and fear for the safety of minority students.
"These reports are heart wrenching and we are obviously taking them very seriously," Grand Valley State University officials Jenny Hall-Jones, Vice and Robert Shorty wrote in an email to students Friday. "Investigations into these reports began immediately, including alerting our state's Attorney General and the FBI. Importantly, we are also providing care and resources to these students and will continue to support them following these incidents."
The GVSU statement stressed that it shared the information "to ensure that everyone is aware of the harassment, the steps that are being taken hold the offenders accountable, and the resources available to those affected by the offensive behavior or need to report more such incidents.
"Choosing to care is the bedrock of who we are and we hope and encourage you all to care for each other," the GVSU statement reads. "As a community, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect."
Officials at North Farmington High School in Farmington Hills have not yet responded for comment.
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