Historically Black Universities Receive Bomb Threats At Start Of Black History Month

Several historically Black colleges and universities received bomb threats on Monday and Tuesday, which marks the start of Black History Month. Authorities have confirmed that no bombs have been found.

About 14 colleges have reportedly received threats, with many responding by canceling the day's classes. Bowie State University, Albany State University, Southern University, and Bethune-Cookman University were among the schools on Monday that received anonymous bomb threats.

On Tuesday morning, Edward Waters University, Howard University, Morgan State University, Kentucky State University, Xavier University of Los Angeles, Fort Valley State University, Alcorn State University, Philander Smith College, Tougaloo College, and Jackson State University were among the schools to report receiving anonymous bomb threats.

Many held virtual classes for the days when threats were made, though many of the shelter-in-place orders have been lifted.

February marks the start of Black History Month, which spotlights the many achievements of African-Americans in civil and human rights, scientific progress, technology, journalism, and writing.

“In recent weeks, several historically Black colleges and universities nationwide have been subjected to anonymous bomb threats, with the most recent being this morning,” Howard University announced in a news alert.

“These threats have not yielded any credible danger to our, or any other community; but they have become a drain on institutional and municipal resources and an unnecessary mental burden on individuals trying to learn and work on our campus,” the statement read.

Morgan State University President David Wilson said he is, “hopeful that these bomb threats to our National Treasure, and to many of our other sister HBCU institutions, will be aggressively investigated by the FBI.”

“The FBI is aware of the series of bomb threats around the country and we are working with our law enforcement partners to address any potential threats," read a statement from the FBI to USA Today.

The FBI did not comment on the racial motivation behind these anonymous threats.

In Daytona Beach, Florida — the home of Bethune-Cookman University — Police Chief Jakari Young said Monday that those who made the threats are a part of a hate group. Young said that “this group, from what we can tell, is a neo-Nazi organization going by the name of Atomwaffen.”

Atomwaffen, otherwise known as The Atomwaffen Division (AWD), or the National Socialist Order, is a right-wing neo-Nazi terrorist group responsible for the murders of up eight people in the U.S. and six others around the world. The U.S. does not consider them a terrorist group though the U.K. does, and it is not clear whether they are the sole perpetrators of these threats.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, they are "accelerationists," meaning that they want to start an apocalypse that will birth a “whites-only utopia” in its wake.