Black students at the University of Alabama reportedly received a slew of racist texts from an unknown number asking them to report to a plantation to pick cotton after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.
“You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” a screenshot of the message posted to Facebook read. “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 enter the plantation. You are in plantation group C.”
According to The Crimson White, several other UA students received similar messages, but with slightly different variations, from numbers with and without Alabama area codes.
A freshman student told the outlet that she decided to skip classes after receiving the message because she feared for her safety
“I was just stressed out and I was scared because I didn’t know what was happening,” the student said.
The student also claims that on Wednesday after the presidential election was called for Trump two male students, wearing MAGA hats, verbally attacked her with racial slurs and told her to “go back to where she came from.”
University officials have opened an investigation into the text message.
“It is our understanding that individuals across the country have received these disgusting messages. This has been reported to authorities, and we’re asking anyone who may have information regarding these messages to report it to the appropriate authorities,” a spokesperson for the University of Alabama said in a statement.
“UA students who have seen or received such messages are also encouraged to contact the Office of Student Care and Well-Being for any additional support that may be needed.”
The message appears to be part of a national trend since Trump was declared the winner of the election and it is not limited to college campuses.
People in Virginia also received the message, including Sam Burwell, a local news station photojournalist.
“You have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” the message Burwell received read. “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 enter the plantation. You are in plantation group W.”
Burwell also said his cousin received the same text message and other Virginia residents posted screenshots of the message, with different group assignments to social media, according to 13News Now.
The Virginia Attorney General’s Office condemned the racist text messages and police are investigating.
“I feel like it’s a spam message [and] I do feel disappointed about the message they’re sending a day after the election,” said Burwell.
Black residents in Detroit, Georgia and North Carolina have also reportedly received the text.
