Attorney General James: 'Disgusting' racist text messages sent to Black, brown adults, students

Black and brown adults and students across New York — including middle schoolers — have been the targets of anonymous "racist text messages," the state attorney general announced Thursday.

Over the past few days, Black and brown individuals in New York and elsewhere in the nation have received texts from unidentified senders informing them they have been "selected to pick cotton at [their] nearest plantation," or "chosen to be a slave," according to a news release from New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The messages "may include personal information about the recipient such as their name or location," according to the attorney general's office.

"The racist text messages targeting New Yorkers, including middle school, high school and college students, are disgusting and unacceptable," James said in a statement. "I unequivocally condemn any attempt to intimidate or threaten New Yorkers and their families. I encourage anyone in New York who has received an anonymous, threatening text message to report it to my office."

Anonymous text messages sent to Black individuals have also been reported in Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee and have prompted investigations by the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies, according to The Associated Press.

New York residents who received an anonymous text message of this nature can report it to the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau, according to the release, by filing an online complaint, calling 800-771-7755 or sending an email to civil.rights@ag.ny.gov.