Public Statement
AAC&U Statement on Bomb Threats at HBCU Campuses
As we begin this Black History Month, we do so in the context of a fresh reminder of the racist terror against which so many whose contributions and achievements we celebrate had to struggle. In recent weeks, a growing number of historically Black colleges and universities have been the target of bomb threats. Notably, the specific targeting of HBCUs comes amid a sharp and ongoing increase in racially motivated hate crimes across the United States. While the bomb threats have so far not proven credible, they nonetheless disrupt campus life; spread fear and anxiety among students, faculty, and staff; and strain campus and community resources. The American Association of Colleges and Universities condemns in the strongest possible terms these attempts to terrorize our students, and we support our HBCU colleagues.