Following the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and an attempted mass shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado, historically Black colleges and universities are now under fire.
At least six southern HBCUs have ordered and subsequently lifted lockdowns and/or cancelled all classes and campus activities following numerous potential threats as of Sept. 11, 2025. The colleges include Hampton University, Virginia State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Alabama State University, Spelman College and Southern University and A&M College.
Some schools, according to numerous outlets such as Axios and CNN, have described the threats as “terroristic” in nature, though have not disclosed what exactly the threats said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement, saying that “The Department of Justice and FBI must thoroughly investigate any potential act of domestic terrorism, and not turn a blind eye when Black college students are apparently being viciously targeted.”
It is unclear as to whether the threats are related, though they come as numerous colleges and universities, such as the University of Arkansas and Villanova University, are beginning their fall semesters with fake active shooter calls to campus.
Most college and university students today, if not all, have undergone some form of lockdown drill and perhaps an actual scenario where a suspicious individual was on school grounds, if not actively shooting. It is unfortunately something that the younger generations have become accustomed to, yet the fear and anxiety that comes with the real potential of being shot will never be a norm.
For numerous HBCUs to receive threats (real or a hoax) on the same day after a prominent right-wing conservative influencer was assassinated on campus grounds is unfortunate. It is even more unfortunate that the threats and chaos came on a day of national remembrance for the 24th anniversary of 9/11.
The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are working together with the universities and colleges to combat the threats.