Campus Alert Archive
Morgan State

Black History Month Day One: Morgan State Closes Campus for Building-by-Building Bomb Search

MDbomb threatemergency notificationmedium confidence
UnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.

Morgan State University received a bomb threat on the morning of February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month. President David Wilson confirmed the threat and ordered the campus closed, with all classes moved to remote instruction. Law enforcement conducted a building-by-building search starting with residential halls. The shelter-in-place was lifted at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST after a 'thorough and exhaustive sweep' of all buildings, including residential facilities on and off site. No explosive devices were found.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Morgan State University
Hbcu · MD
~8,600 studentsMSU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimMSU Alert text quoted verbatim in WOLB Talk 1010, CBS Baltimore, NBC News, and WYPR coverage of the February 1, 2022 bomb threat; the full text including the telework instruction is corroborated across multiple outlets272 chars
CAMPUS ALERT: Due to a bomb threat, access to campus will be closed as the University works with emergency personnel to assess the situation. Everyone on campus should shelter in place until further notice. All instruction will be remote and all employees should telework.
Verbatim CAMPUS ALERT issued by Morgan State on February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month, as quoted in multiple outlets including WOLB Talk 1010, CBS Baltimore, and corroborated in WUSA9/WQAD coverage
The alert combines three directives: campus access closure, shelter in place, and immediate telework/remote instruction -- covering all three groups (visitors, on-campus personnel, and off-campus employees)
Immediate pivot to remote classes embedded directly in the initial alert (not a separate announcement) reflects a more operationally mature response than some peer institutions during the same wave
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed around verbatim phrases from Morgan State's official statement quoted by WYPR — including 'a thorough and exhaustive sweep of the campus and its buildings, including all residential facilities on and off site' and the continuation of remote instruction. The 1:57 p.m. lift time is from WYPR reporting.385 chars
The bomb threat investigation has concluded. Law enforcement has completed a thorough and exhaustive sweep of the campus and its buildings, including all residential facilities on and off site. No suspicious items were found. The shelter-in-place order has been lifted. Remote instruction will continue for all remaining classes today, and access to some buildings will remain limited.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Per WYPR reporting, the shelter-in-place was lifted at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST after the building-by-building sweep was completed
Morgan State's statement specifically used the phrase 'thorough and exhaustive sweep' and emphasized that residential facilities both on and off site were cleared
Remote instruction continued for the rest of the day and access to some buildings remained limited, consistent with the pattern at other targeted HBCUs
President Wilson's public confirmation of the threat provided institutional transparency that some other schools did not offer during the wave
Context

Background

Morgan State University, Maryland's preeminent public urban research HBCU, received a bomb threat on February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month. The symbolic timing was unmistakable. President David Wilson publicly confirmed the threat and ordered an immediate campus closure, with all classes shifted to remote instruction. Law enforcement conducted a methodical building-by-building search, prioritizing residential halls where students were sheltering in place. This approach, starting with occupied buildings, distinguished Morgan State's response from institutions that swept academic buildings first. No explosive devices were found. The threat was part of the broader wave that targeted dozens of HBCUs between January and February 2022 (federal officials counted at least 57 bomb threats against HBCUs and other institutions in that period), which the FBI investigated as racially motivated hate crimes. Six juveniles were eventually identified as persons of interest in the campaign.
Analysis

Key Findings

The February 1 timing on the first day of Black History Month was clearly symbolic, amplifying the psychological impact on the campus community
Morgan State's decision to prioritize residential hall sweeps reflected a risk-based approach, clearing occupied buildings before unoccupied ones
President Wilson's public confirmation of the threat set a standard for institutional transparency during the crisis
The immediate pivot to remote classes minimized academic disruption while maintaining safety protocols
Outcome
Shelter-in-place lifted at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST after the building-by-building sweep completed. No suspicious items found. Classes remained remote for the rest of the day; access to some buildings remained limited. FBI investigated as part of the broader HBCU bomb threat campaign.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Morgan State University receives bomb threat on first day of Black History Month -- Baltimore Sun
    baltimoresun.com
  2. News
    HBCUs receive bomb threats on first day of Black History Month -- NBC News
    nbcnews.com
  3. News
    Morgan State, Coppin State Campuses Cleared After Bomb Threats -- CBS Baltimore
    cbsnews.com
  4. News
    Morgan State, Coppin State lift shelter-in-place notices; FBI to investigate threats to HBCUs -- WYPR
    wypr.org
Tags
bomb-threathbcuhbcu-bomb-wave-2022racially-motivatedcoordinated-threatblack-history-monthmarylandbuilding-by-building-searchUnfounded
Added April 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion