Post by Grits on Mar 30, 2006 10:05:14 GMT -5
courtesy of TJMS Little Known Black History Facts
Sundown Towns
Sundown towns were (and, in some cases, are) towns and cities in the United States where non-whites were systematically excluded from living. They became common in the late 19th century. Sundown towns existed throughout the nation, but more often were located in the northern states that were not pre-Civil War slave states.
In some cases, signs were placed at the towns border with statements similar to the one posted in Hawthorne, California which read "Nigger, Don't Let The Sun Set On YOU In Hawthorne" in the 1930s.
In addition to the expulsion of African-Americans from many small towns, Chinese-Americans were driven out of towns where they lived. For example, in 1870, Chinese made up one-third of the population of Idaho. Following a wave of violence and an 1886 anti-Chinese convention in Boise, almost none remained by 1910. The town of Gardnerville, Nevada blew a whistle at 6 PM daily alerting Native Americans to leave by sundown.
In addition, Jews were excluded from living in some sundown towns.
In some cases, the exclusion was official town policy. In others, the racist policy was enforced through intimidation. This intimidation could occur in a number of ways, including harassment by law enforcement officers.
Sundown Towns
Sundown towns were (and, in some cases, are) towns and cities in the United States where non-whites were systematically excluded from living. They became common in the late 19th century. Sundown towns existed throughout the nation, but more often were located in the northern states that were not pre-Civil War slave states.
In some cases, signs were placed at the towns border with statements similar to the one posted in Hawthorne, California which read "Nigger, Don't Let The Sun Set On YOU In Hawthorne" in the 1930s.
In addition to the expulsion of African-Americans from many small towns, Chinese-Americans were driven out of towns where they lived. For example, in 1870, Chinese made up one-third of the population of Idaho. Following a wave of violence and an 1886 anti-Chinese convention in Boise, almost none remained by 1910. The town of Gardnerville, Nevada blew a whistle at 6 PM daily alerting Native Americans to leave by sundown.
In addition, Jews were excluded from living in some sundown towns.
In some cases, the exclusion was official town policy. In others, the racist policy was enforced through intimidation. This intimidation could occur in a number of ways, including harassment by law enforcement officers.