Authorities have launched an investigation into racist text messages sent to Black Americans nationwide, which stated recipients had been “selected to pick cotton.”
“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 FBI stated on Thursday.
The agency also emphasized, “As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”
The message’s circulation began on social media, where users shared screenshots of the text. Although the exact wording varied slightly, the messages carried the same threatening tone.
