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, anonymous text messages were sent to Black people across the U.S. telling them to report to a plantation to pick cotton, according to law-enforcement officials and civil-rights leaders. Black people in states including Alabama,

Racist text messages leave people horrified in Illinois, around U.S. 02:14. CHICAGO (CBS) -- A federal investigation is under way after racist text messages were sent to Black peo