Black people are receiving texts about picking cotton ‘at the nearest plantation’

Many Black people across the country received disturbing text messages telling them they had been “selected” to pick cotton at a plantation just hours after the presidential election. The messages caused fear and panic among recipients, who reported them to authorities. The FBI and various law enforcement agencies are investigating the origin of the texts, which appear to have been sent through a text messaging service that provides untraceable numbers. Despite denouncing the messages, the Trump campaign has been linked to the texts, prompting concerns about racial targeting and safety. The NAACP condemned the messages, stating they are likely inspired by the president-elect’s rhetoric. The texts have since subsided, but recipients fear they may be the beginning of more racist targeting in the future.