NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Law enforcement agencies across the country are trying to figure out who sent a mass text message threatening to enslave black people.

It put many students at Fisk University on high alert after some of them received the message, which said they would be forced to pick cotton.

“It’s not a joke,” freshman Skylar Pollard said. “It’s very sad and scary that people are comfortable enough to send it around the world and to HBCUs.”

Fisk was one of many schools nationwide to report that students had received the text. Now, the FBI and Department of Justice are investigating.

“The FBI will need to work with ISPs to try to identify the IP address from which this threatening and hateful message was sent,” explained former FBI Special Agent Kenneth Gray.

Although it is unclear who sent the text messages. Textnow, which offers free phone numbers online, told NBC News that one of its accounts may be involved. As a result, it was stopped.

Meanwhile, students are left to wonder if it is a sign of the times we live in.

“Not even a day after his election, people are already talking about this disgusting and frankly deplorable text message,” said Dania Rutherford.

Metro Police confirmed to WSMV that they are aware of the text messages and are working in coordination with other agencies.

It is unclear how long the investigation into these messages will take. In the meantime, authorities are urging anyone who receives such a message to contact law enforcement.

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