This was a scary year for HBCU colleges around the country, as so many were threatened with bombs. Starting on Jan. 31st, six schools were initially targeted. However, according to The Tennessean, the FBI claimed 57 HBCUs received threats so far this year. While people of interest have been have been identified, no arrests have been made so far in the ongoing investigations. Here’s a list of a few popular historically black colleges and universities that received threats.
The day before the start of Black History Month, Howard University received its first bomb threat. Since then, seven more bomb threats have been called into the Washington D.C. HBCU, targeting different areas of the campus.
On Feb. 14th, Nashville’s Fisk University had to close down after a series of threats were called in at 9 a.m in the morning. Students received alerts shortly afterward instructing them to shelter in place.
On February 1st, the University of DC received a series of bomb threats The university later tweeted that the campus and local police issued an “all clear” and that everybody was safe.
Jackson State University tweeted that on Feb. 1st, they received a bomb threat early in the morning. Local police later swept the campus and found no evidence of there being a bomb on campus, thankfully.
Kentucky State University issued a statement on Feb. 1st after receiving a bomb threat saying, “Law enforcement officials have completed an investigation of the bomb threat that Kentucky State University received earlier this morning. University Police, and local and state law enforcement agencies searched all campus facilities and issued an all-clear. The shelter-in-place is lifted, and it is now safe to return to campus.”
Spelman College has received three bomb threats starting at the beginning of February, according to CNN. The latest one, on Feb. 8th, resulted in canceled classes and a four-hour lockdown.
After Fort Valley State University received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st, campus police completed their investigation of what happened and said it was safe for students to go back to class.
After they received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st, Edward Waters College tweeted an update saying, “all in-person activities, classes, and operations, including all meetings and athletic practices, are canceled until further notice.” Local authorities are still investigating the bomb threat on campus.
Tougaloo College in Mississippi received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st and stated, “Due to today’s bomb threat, the campus will operate virtually (February 1st). Although the campus has been cleared, for safety precautions, there will be no in-person classes/activities, and employees and students should not commute to the campus.”
Xavier University of Louisiana tweeted on Feb. 1st that local law enforcement was investigating a bomb threat. They cleared the campus during the morning, and classes will continue on campus this afternoon.
Arkansas Baptist College received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st, along with adjacent HBCU Philander Smith College. The caller claims they were a “neo-nazi,” according to CBS 11. Police could not trace the call or find bombs on campus.
Coppin State University also received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st. Campus police investigated it, and no evidence of a bomb was found. The university tweeted that they received an “all-clear” status, and classes resumed that day.
Mississippi Valley State University announced on Twitter on Feb. 1st that the campus has been cleared by University police along with local police because of a bomb threat. Classes were offered on a virtual basis.
Morgan State University tweeted a campus alert On Feb. 1st, saying, “Following a thorough and exhaustive sweep of the campus and its buildings, including all residential facilities on and off-site, no suspicious items were discovered, and nothing has been deemed as being out of place.” As a result, the shelter-in-place order has been lifted, and people can be on campus.
One of Missississippi’s oldest HBCUs, Rust College, also received a bomb threat on Feb. 1st. The campus was then put into a shelter-in-place and canceled classes until the following day. Police searched the campus and found no devices.
