NAACP Responds to Recent Threats Targeting HBCUs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 12, 2025
Contact: communications@naacpnet.org

Yesterday's targeted threats against our Historically Black Colleges and Universities are both heartbreaking and deeply troubling. No student, faculty member, or staff member should ever have to choose between pursuing their education and feeling safe on campus.

From the founding of the first collegiate chapter at Howard University to the more than 65 NAACP chapters established on HBCU campuses nationwide, we know these schools are more than centers of learning. They are sacred spaces of culture, resilience, and brilliance that have shaped generations of leaders. Threats of violence and active shooter dangers pose not only physical risks, but also heavy psychological burdens that affect the entire campus community.

We call on campus leaders, elected officials, and community partners to prioritize safety, strengthen transparency, and expand access to mental health resources. In moments like these, care and healing must be treated with the same urgency as accountability and action.

To every student and community member: your safety, your voice, and your future matter. We will continue to demand protection for our HBCUs and all colleges to safeguard the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Black students and students of color. Together, we affirm that our higher education institutions must remain places of empowerment — not fear. 

As we move forward, we encourage all campus communities to prioritize mental health by:

• Prioritize self-care (e.g., participate in mindful practices such as prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices, and emphasize whole body and mind health)
• Engage in culturally affirming activities
• Limit media exposure to racial violence
• Lean into strong support networks and healing circles with trusted family, friends, and community members with similar lived experiences
• Consider professional support from a mental health provider, especially a racial trauma-informed therapist: For immediate support, text STEVE to 741741 to connect with the Steve Fund. 
• Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free and confidential 24/7 support if you or someone you know is in emotional distress or crisis.

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About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.