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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul condemns racist text messages sent to Black residents

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks into a podium.
Anthony Vazquez
/
Chicago Sun Times
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul condemned racist text messages sent to Black residents across the country last week.

“Hate has no place in the state of Illinois. Full stop. I am outraged by reports of these offensive, racist texts and am particularly saddened to learn these hate-filled messages have even been received by students, including in Illinois,” Raoul said in a statement.

The messages, sent anonymously, were reported in several states, including New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. They generally used a similar tone but varied in wording.

The messages invoked slavery and some instructed the recipient to show up at an address at a particular time “with your belongings,” while others didn’t include a location. Some of them mentioned the incoming Trump administration.

It wasn’t yet clear who was behind the messages and there was no comprehensive list of where they were sent, but high school and college students were among the recipients.

“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,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. “These actions are not normal. And we refuse to let them be normalized.”

“The FBI said it was in touch with the Justice Department on the messages, and the Federal Communications Commission said it was investigating the texts “alongside federal and state law enforcement.” The Ohio attorney general’s office also said it was looking into the matter.

“I urge any Illinois resident who has received one of these racist text messages to contact local law enforcement or the Help Stop Hate Helpline, or to file a complaint with my office’s Civil Rights Bureau,” Raoul said.

Illinois residents were encouraged to call the Civil Rights Hotline at (877) 581-3691 or email civilrights@ilag.gov to report discrimination or hate crimes.

Contributing: AP