Black Minnesotans receive text messages telling them to go to ‘the nearest plantation’ – InForum

ST. PAUL — Tawonda Burks woke up Thursday morning to a text message she received that night. It came from a Twin Cities song, included her full name, and was openly mean.

“I immediately became angry and upset,” she said. “I’m still trying to understand: Did someone really send this message to me? Who and why and for what reason?”

Burks, who is black, was one of several black Americans targeted in the text messages. There were reports in Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio, Connecticut and Alabama, among others.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that his office has received reports of text messages received by Minnesota residents.

“The text messages shared with my office are disturbing, threatening and have no place in our society,” the statement said. “My mission is to ensure that every Minnesotan can live with dignity, safety and respect, and I have zero tolerance for harassment and hate. I strongly encourage any Minnesotan who has received one of these messages to file a complaint with the Minnesota Attorney General using our online form.”

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The FBI also issued a statement:

“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages being sent to individuals across the country and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal authorities regarding this matter. As always, we encourage the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”

Burks, who recently declared her candidacy, wondered if she was individually targeted.

“That was my first thought, because of the campaign, who knows? But then I realized that when I shared it on social media and saw other people posting it, I thought, “Okay, so this went to other people too.” ”

As the day went on, she saw more and more posts on social media about similar messages others had received across the country.

“I’ve read from some people’s comments that even children were receiving these text messages,” she said. “That’s just crazy.”

After receiving the text, she reported it to the Rochester chapter of the NAACP.

Burks said the timing of the text messages, one day after the election, was troubling. She ran for the Olmsted County Board but lost the race Tuesday.

“We see the election – bringing out more courage in individuals who are racist,” she said. “I feel like they feel like they have the freedom to express their racism louder and bolder, which is sad to see.”

She said the timing, the language, it was all disturbing.

“I’m still kind of taking it in, but all I want to say is that I’m proud of who I am, as an individual, as a black person and as a woman. I was always raised with what I would call a thick skin – meaning I can hear something, it’s in one ear and the other, and I don’t really let it get too personal. But I feel like it’s enough, right? It’s just too much,” she said.

“And I say that because as a black woman we carry a lot of weight that I don’t think society as a whole realizes, and after a certain time you just get tired.”

This story was originally published on MPRNews.org