US authorities, including the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission, are investigating a series of racist text messages targeting Black Americans. Reports indicate that the offensive messages, which referenced slavery, plantations, and forced labor, were received in at least 15 states and Washington D.C., starting the day after election day. The Trump campaign has denied any connection, while civil rights leaders condemned the messages as a chilling rise in hate rhetoric. Authorities encourage those affected to report the messages as investigations continue to trace their origins.