Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism
by: James W. Loewen
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Product Description:
No blacks allowed, especially after dark. This was the unwritten rule in a "sundown" town. In his trademark revelatory style, bestselling author James W. Loewen explores one of America's best-kept secrets as he unearths the making of sundown towns and discloses the fact that many white neighborhoods and suburbs are the result of years of racism and segregation. Anna, Illinois; Darien, Connecticut; and Cedar Key, Florida, are just a few examples of the thousands of all-white towns established between 1890 and 1968, many of which still exist today. White residents of these towns used any means possible -- including the law, harassment, race riots, and even murder -- to keep African Americans and other minority groups out.
Powerful and unprecedented, Sundown Towns tells the story of how these towns came into existence, what maintains them, and what to do about them. It also deepens our understanding of the role racism has played and continues to play in our society.
No blacks allowed, especially after dark. This was the unwritten rule in a "sundown" town. In his trademark revelatory style, bestselling author James W. Loewen explores one of America's best-kept secrets as he unearths the making of sundown towns and discloses the fact that many white neighborhoods and suburbs are the result of years of racism and segregation. Anna, Illinois; Darien, Connecticut; and Cedar Key, Florida, are just a few examples of the thousands of all-white towns established between 1890 and 1968, many of which still exist today. White residents of these towns used any means possible -- including the law, harassment, race riots, and even murder -- to keep African Americans and other minority groups out.
Powerful and unprecedented, Sundown Towns tells the story of how these towns came into existence, what maintains them, and what to do about them. It also deepens our understanding of the role racism has played and continues to play in our society.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Poorly done
It seems like he took every other scholars work and wrapped it up in a book. It would have been better if hegave the reader so first hand knowledge. The author seemed to want to be the story. Wasted my money on this book, it sucked.
Rating: - This history needs to be known...
This history needs to be known.I grew up in a town in Illinois which was highly prejudiced; though there were no signs, everyone knew African-Americans stayed south of the railroad tracks after dark.I began reading about towns I'm familiar with.And I was shocked!There is little to no actual research involved at all!The author simply takes some unidentified person's comment and reports it as fact!I checked a number of towns, both those known to me and those unknown, and the majority of ... Read More
Rating: - A recent conversation with Dr. Loewen
We recently had Dr. Loewen as a guest for an online meeting of the Everyday Democracy Book Club. It was interesting to hear whether he feels his book has made much of a difference (he doesn't, yet) and what needs to happen to overcome the legacy of Sundown Towns. Here's his prescription and a link to the conversation.
http://democracyspace.typepad.com/democracyspaceorg/2008/07/three-steps-tow.html
Rating: 
- There are Better Books Out There
I tried very hard to get into this book, but had to put it down after 50 pages or so.I appreciate the scholarship, but Loewen's book reads like a MA or PhD thesis.Very dry.
The author spends inordinate amounts of ink explaining how he's going to break down the topic of whites-only towns.If I had a dollar for every time he uses the term "sundown town" in just 50 pages, I could fill up my gas tank for the next six months.I get it!The book's about Sundown Towns!You don't have ... Read More
Rating: 
- Now I Understand.
First off, thank you to Professor Loewen for his painstaking research. Biased or not he backs up his information and makes you think as long as your mind is open and willing to absorb.
I'm an African-American, 37, grew up in a all-black neighborhood, but it wasn't always that way. I remember and have pictures of when I was 4 or 5, my next door neighbors were white and at least half of my block had white families. My brother and sister are 9 and 10 years older than me and they ... Read More
- Poorly doneIt seems like he took every other scholars work and wrapped it up in a book. It would have been better if hegave the reader so first hand knowledge. The author seemed to want to be the story. Wasted my money on this book, it sucked.
- This history needs to be known...This history needs to be known.I grew up in a town in Illinois which was highly prejudiced; though there were no signs, everyone knew African-Americans stayed south of the railroad tracks after dark.I began reading about towns I'm familiar with.And I was shocked!There is little to no actual research involved at all!The author simply takes some unidentified person's comment and reports it as fact!I checked a number of towns, both those known to me and those unknown, and the majority of ... Read More
- A recent conversation with Dr. LoewenWe recently had Dr. Loewen as a guest for an online meeting of the Everyday Democracy Book Club. It was interesting to hear whether he feels his book has made much of a difference (he doesn't, yet) and what needs to happen to overcome the legacy of Sundown Towns. Here's his prescription and a link to the conversation.
http://democracyspace.typepad.com/democracyspaceorg/2008/07/three-steps-tow.html
- There are Better Books Out ThereI tried very hard to get into this book, but had to put it down after 50 pages or so.I appreciate the scholarship, but Loewen's book reads like a MA or PhD thesis.Very dry.
The author spends inordinate amounts of ink explaining how he's going to break down the topic of whites-only towns.If I had a dollar for every time he uses the term "sundown town" in just 50 pages, I could fill up my gas tank for the next six months.I get it!The book's about Sundown Towns!You don't have ... Read More
- Now I Understand.First off, thank you to Professor Loewen for his painstaking research. Biased or not he backs up his information and makes you think as long as your mind is open and willing to absorb.
I'm an African-American, 37, grew up in a all-black neighborhood, but it wasn't always that way. I remember and have pictures of when I was 4 or 5, my next door neighbors were white and at least half of my block had white families. My brother and sister are 9 and 10 years older than me and they ... Read More
