Black Colleges Across US Targeted with Racist Threats Day After Kirk Shooting

Black students across the United States were targeted this week by a wave of coordinated racist death threats, triggering emergency lockdowns at least seven historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The threats came just one day after the killing of far-right activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

At New York University, members of the Black Student Union said they received a manifesto containing “extremely graphic threats of gun violence.” The document reportedly declared the author was “coming for only n******” and accused Black students of erasing white “safe spaces.” In a statement, the union criticized NYU officials for waiting more than six hours before notifying students that the threats explicitly targeted Black students.

The fear quickly spread across HBCUs. Alabama State University, Virginia State University, Hampton University, Spelman College, Southern University and A&M College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and Bethune-Cookman University all confirmed they had received threats.

Virginia State University president Makola Abdullah told the campus community that the threats were “intended to disrupt, intimidate and instill fear.” Alabama State president Quinton Ross Jr. called them “terroristic” and said his campus had immediately suspended operations. Southern University in Baton Rouge enacted the most sweeping measures, locking down its entire Baton Rouge landmass, canceling classes and activities through the weekend.

The FBI acknowledged it was aware of the “hoax threat calls” but stressed there was no evidence of a credible plot. “We take these threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” the agency said, urging vigilance nationwide.

Although most lockdowns were lifted by Friday, heightened security and canceled classes continued across campuses as federal and local law enforcement investigated.

“These threats are not random,” Abdullah warned. “They are targeted attacks on our institutions. To those who seek to silence or scare us: we will not be intimidated.”

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