In many of these messages, it was stated that the recipient should prepare to be picked up by a bus for transportation to a cotton plantation and slave labor, a reference to the US's history of large-scale enslavement of African Americans.
The messages began to be sent out anonymously on Wednesday, the day after the presidential election. It is unclear exactly how many have received a message, but according to reports in American media, it involves thousands of SMS and recipients in at least 20 different states. Many are young black Americans, and some are children as young as middle school age.
The sender has concealed their identity using a so-called VPN service, according to Louisiana's Attorney General Liz Murrill.
The federal police authority FBI is investigating the matter.
