Multiple HBCU Campuses Forced Into Lockdown After Receiving “Vile, Racist” Threats

Multiple historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) found themselves on high alert on Thursday (Sep. 11) after receiving a series of threats that forced lockdowns.

Alabama State University, Virginia State University, Hampton University in Virginia, Southern University in Louisiana, Clark Atlanta University, and nearby Spelman College were among the campuses impacted, as administrators, students and faculty moved to safety. Bethune-Cookman University in Florida also reported a potential threat, with school officials confirming their Daytona Beach campus went into lockdown.

According to ABC News, the FBI released a statement that investigators are “aware of hoax threat calls” to HBCUs across the country. While the agency stressed there is currently “no credible threat,” it acknowledged the seriousness of these incidents. “The FBI takes these threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” the bureau stated.

Universities moved swiftly to cancel classes, suspend “nonessential” events, and halt athletic games. Hampton University announced it would cease all activity through Friday (Sep 12). Virginia State University posted that, “out of an abundance of caution, VSU remains on lockdown.” Southern University in Louisiana extended its lockdown to the entire Baton Rouge campus.

The threats came just one day after the deadly shooting at Utah Valley University, where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was killed while speaking on campus. Law enforcement has not connected the incidents, despite the coincidental timing.

Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton weighed in, urging an end to violence targeting educational spaces. “I condemned the shooting of Donald Trump last year, the murder of Charlie Kirk yesterday, and the threats to HBCUs today,” Sharpton said. He pointed to recent attacks on HBCUs, including Edward Waters University in 2023 and Tuskegee University in 2024, as a pattern that cannot be ignored.

The Congressional Black Caucus echoed those concerns, calling the threats “vile” and “a chilling reminder of the relentless racism and extremism that continues to target and terrorize Black communities in this country.”

Lawmakers urged the FBI and Department of Justice to act swiftly in finding those responsible for the threats. For now, schools have reminded students and staff to follow the well-known urgent protocal: “If you see something, say something.” No injuries have been reported and many lockdowns have already been lifted.