Authorities across the United States are investigating after racist text messages – some with references to “slave catchers” and “picking cotton” reminiscent of the country’s painful and bigoted past – have been received by children,

Racist text messages received this week primarily by Black students nationwide — including in Missouri — are under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI said in a statement issued Thursday it “is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.

Racist text messages are reportedly being sent to people of color across the country, and within the past few days, some Lowcountry individuals say they have received the texts themselves. State Rep.

Black people in several states received racist texts, some that claimed to be affiliated with Donald Trump, ordering them to work as slaves on plantations.

Racist text messages summoning Black individuals to "pick cotton" have been sent out to residents across the country, including in Texas, in the wake of the presidential election. Houston area resident Laura Bass Brown told KHOU 11 her daughter,

Similar mass messages were reportedly sent to students around the country on the same day, according to a statement from school officials.

The racist texts sent to Black women, men and students in several states now includes Massachusetts. Some students of color at Stoughton High School received the spam texts Thursday, according to Stoughton Public Schools,