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Warning: HBCUs Under Credible Threats

September 12, 2025

Multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) including Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Southern University A&M College, Bethune Cookman, Alabama State, Virginia State, and Hampton University have implemented lockdowns or canceled classes due to credible threats. These security measures were enacted just one day after Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University, with the suspect still at large. Civil rights leaders including Reverend William Barber, Congresswoman Alma Adams, and Reverend Al Sharpton have expressed concern about the situation, with Barber noting the "dangerous moment in our nation.

Who is affected

  • Multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
  • Students, faculty, and staff at Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Southern University A&M College, Bethune Cookman, Alabama State, Virginia State, and Hampton University
  • Clarke University in Atlanta community (under "shelter in place" order)
  • College campus communities broadly, in light of the recent shooting at Utah Valley University

What action is being taken

  • HBCUs are implementing lockdowns and canceling classes in response to credible threats
  • Clarke University in Atlanta has issued a "shelter in place" order
  • Congresswoman Alma Adams is actively monitoring the situations
  • Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network are monitoring the threats against HBCUs

Why it matters

  • The threats represent a potentially dangerous situation for HBCU communities
  • They occurred just after the deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University
  • The incidents reflect what Reverend Barber calls "a dangerous moment in our nation" regarding political violence
  • These threats echo a pattern of targeting HBCUs, similar to the bomb threats that occurred during Black History Month in 2022
  • College campuses should be places for "free expression and debate" rather than sites of violence or threats

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

Warning: HBCUs Under Credible Threats