Don’t let the sun set on you in a sundown town. That’s what signs at the city limits of all-white communities warned when African-Americans were not allowed to live there or even visit after the sun set. This method of exclusion was often held by an official policy or restrictive covenant-. The practice of excluding blacks from American towns was so prevalent that, by 1936, it became the impetus for Harlem civic leader Victor Green to pen the Negro Motorist Green-Book, a guide designed to help African-American travelers avoid places where they could be harassed, threatened, or even killed. Today, it is illegal for sundown towns to exist on paper due to the 1968 Fair Housing Act, but some believe that communities remain sundown by reputation and reluctance to diversify.
Original Article Found At http://press.discovery.com/us/id/programs/injustice-files-sundown-towns/
6 Comments
It just amazes me how such rules even exist anymore. Sad…
Ah, the good ol days…
As a Black American, I’d like to think that in 2019 AD that we’ve moved beyond all that racial hatred and many silent White Americans wonder why so many Black Americans are like keg powders ready to “blow up” with the slightest provocation. That is why the “haoles” who visit Hawaii are treated so badly by the Polynesians because many of them sport an attitude of superiority either conscious or unconscious when they come to the island. Many of them take their lives for granted and expect preferential treatment.
Joseph,
I will make you laugh…My wife and I went on a cruise to Tahiti…We stopped at the island of Morea and we were all qued in line waiting to get picked up by guides. My wife and I were close to the end of a long line…This cute little Tahitian girl approached us and pulled us out of line…She walked us up to the front of the line. She then said…”You are brown like me, You go to front of line…no waiting.” It was hilarious because people who were in front of us started complaining about us getting preferential feelings. Shouting it was unfair…I Stopped and looked at the loudest complainer and shouted at the top of my voice…Now you fucking know how it feels to live in America! Suck it up butter cup.” We cracked up laughing and jumped into our tourist vehicle…I must admit that it felt great to be treated with privilege.
I grew up in such a town In Michigan in the 1950’s -early 60’s. I never met a black person nor spoke with one until I enlisted in the service. Growing up I never really gave it much thought but now looking back I wonder why didn’t sense that something was amiss. Race relations have improved over the decades since but in my judgement they still have a ways to go.
I was browsing in a public library in California I came across a travel road trip highlighting routes through Michigan. I looked up my hometown and it had a highlighted note stating that if you were of the negro race to bypass that city due to their race policies. This incident took place early 1966.
I had a similar experience the first time that I went to Freeport, Bahamas. I was staying at the Princess Hotel and we were leaving for the airport. The doorman came to where I was in line and brought me to the front for the first taxi. Folks started protesting that it was unfair, and I did the same thing. Turned to the loudest protester and said, ‘now you know how it feels to be Black in America”. And smiled-lol!!