Hateful ‘cotton picking’ messages hit black Americans, igniting outrage

Dozens of black Americans have reported receiving text messages saying they had been “selected” to pick cotton “at the nearest plantation,” referencing slavery in a deeply offensive manner.

The messages were sent to university students at institutions such as Ohio State University, Clemson University in South Carolina, the University of Southern California, and Missouri State University.

However, black men, women, and children in several other states – including New York, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Tennessee – also received these messages.

The first ones were sent the morning after the US election, with some mentioning President-elect Donald Trump, Sky News reported.

“The unfortunate reality of electing a president who, historically, has embraced and at times encouraged hate, is unfolding before our eyes,” National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) CEO Derrick Johnson said.

“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.”

Donald Trump’s presidential spokesperson denied any involvement.

Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman, said: “The campaign has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages.”

Mysterious messages linked to ‘coordinated attack’

The origin of the messages and the full list of recipients remain unclear.

According to the text message service TextNow, some of the messages were sent using its platform, which the company described to CNN on Friday as part of a “widespread, coordinated attack.”

A different text messaging service, TextSpot, said a new user registered on Wednesday and tried to send a message containing racist language.

“Our AI functionality immediately flagged the message and prevented it from being sent until we could conduct an internal review,” a statement from the company said.

FBI investigates shocking racist texts sent to teens

“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 agency said.

A 42-year-old mother in Indiana sent a copy of the texts her high-school-aged daughter received to the BBC.

The messages said that the daughter had “been selected to become a slave at your nearest plantation” and would be “picked up in a white van” and “searched thoroughly once you’ve reached your destination”.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous for her safety, called the messages “extremely, extremely alarming” and made her feel “really vulnerable”.

“It’s because of America’s history, but the timing is specific to the day after the election,” she said. “This had to be a strategised effort.”

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