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Racist Text Messages Were Sent to Kids and College Students in Pennsylvania. Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About It?

A few of the text messages allegedly came from devices using the TextNow messaging service, a provider that lets users create free phone numbers to text. The provider is said to be cooperating with authorities.

Whitney Roberts •
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The day after the 2025 election, across the United States, Black young adults and children alike received text messages. These texts prompted the receivers to pack their belongings, report to the nearest plantation, and be prepared to pick cotton. In many cases, these text messages not only used places that were in these children’s and young adults neighborhoods, but also their real names.

These messages made their way to Pennsylvania, received by nearly a dozen students in both Lower Merion and Upper Darby School Districts. A handful of students attending West Chester University also received the messages.

NAACP CEO and President released a statement almost immediately following the news of those messages, saying “The threat — and the mention of slavery in 2024 — is not only deeply disturbing, but perpetuates a legacy of evil that dates back to before the Jim Crow era, and now seeks to prevent Black Americans from enjoying the same freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. These actions are not normal. And we refuse to let them be normalized."

While the matter is still being investigated by the FBI, which has since conferred with the Department of Justice and local law enforcement agencies, over two months later there are still no answers about who distributed these texts. The FBI said in a statement “The reports are not identical and vary in their specific language, but many say the recipient has been selected to pick cotton on a plantation.”

In the same statement, the FBI also notes “The text message recipients have now expanded to high school students, as well as both the Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities. Some recipients reported being told they were selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp. The messages have also been reported as being received via email communication.”

A few of the text messages allegedly came from devices using the TextNow messaging service, a provider that lets users create free phone numbers to text. The provider is said to be cooperating with authorities.

Yet, months after these messages were initially sent to middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students, there has been no definitive statement from Pennsylvania’s leaders condemning these messages, which are tantamount to terrorism. Months later, key offices, such as the Governor’s office, have yet to say anything about these texts. While other officials and offices sound off, those key voices have yet to even mention the messages.

Let’s be clear; these messages are a form of terrorism. Full stop. The texts intentionally targeted marginalized communities, initially the Black community, after what many in those communities perceived as a devastating presidential race. The messages harp upon a time when Black people were not viewed or respected as human beings but as property. The centuries of chattel slavery that built the United States was one of the most brutal chapters of human history with immeasurable violence committed against Black people. The texts encapsulate that time of violence and inhumanity, poke fun at a painful history, and were sent to instill terror in our community, particularly in our children and youngest adults.

While we await the pending results of the FBI investigation, our community is still reeling. The damage is done. The fear is instilled. What the messages intended to do, they did. The best thing we can hope for now is justice for all of the kids, young adults, and families affected.

  • Whitney Roberts

    Whitney Roberts is a Philadelphia writer, podcaster, and content creator featured by the NAACP, Wired, NBC, and more. She contributes to outlets like TheRoot and NPR, amplifying diverse voices and stories.

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