Multiple HBCU’s On Alert Following Wave Of Threats
A number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the United States have activated emergency protocols after receiving various threats Thursday, prompting campus lockdowns, class cancellations, and increased security measures, officials confirmed.
Among those affected are Alabama State University, Southern University & A&M College in Louisiana, Virginia State University, Hampton University in Virginia, Bethune-Cookman University in Florida, and Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. Spelman College, adjacent to Clark Atlanta, also imposed shelter-in-place orders as a precaution due to its proximity.
In many instances, universities suspended all nonessential operations, shut down athletic events, and restricted movement. Alabama State, for example, put students on shelter-in-place while campus buildings were searched. Southern University locked down its 8,200-student campus for roughly an hour. Virginia State kept its facilities locked until authorities gave the all-clear.
Law enforcement agencies—including campus police, local authorities, and federal bodies such as the FBI—are investigating. While many of the threats are believed to be hoaxes or non-credible after preliminary assessments, officials say they cannot take any risk lightly given recent incidents of campus violence nationwide.
Federal and state politicians have condemned the threats. U.S. Representative Troy Carter described them as “reprehensible attacks,” saying any such threat against HBCUs is “a threat against us all.” There are calls for swift investigations and stronger protections as students, staff, and communities deal with rising anxiety around campus safety.
At most institutions, the lockdowns have since been lifted and classes resumed, though many schools remain on heightened alert and are reassessing safety protocols.
