Sundown Towns in the Arts
- Matt Ruff’s novel Lovecraft Country – which was also adapted into an HBO series – pays homage to the legendary fantasy/horror writer H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) while at the same time attacking his severe white supremacy. Sundown Towns prompted the book.
- “Sundown in Southern Illinois”
- “Sundown Town” in Fayetteville, AR
- “No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs” in Northern Virginia
- Al Franken’s art about being in sundown neighborhoods and suburbs of southwest Chicago.
- A One-Person Show About Moving Into a Sundown Town (among other things)
- Ry Cooder sings about sundown towns, hoboes, and other Americana
- View the Graphic Summary of Sundown Town Talk to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Part One [JPEG] by Kim Love, Graphic Recorder
- View the Graphic Summary of Sundown Town Talk to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Part Two [JPEG] by Kim Love, Graphic Recorder
- Mark Beck created (and sold) the painting “Sundown Towns.”
- “Loewen Reviews Two Plays about Sundown Towns”
- William Burroughs locates a sundown town in the South in his novel Naked Lunch
- Poem by Adrian Potter titled “Sundown Town”
![Graphic Summary of Sundown Town Talk to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Part One [JPEG]](https://justice.tougaloo.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sundown_poster_one.jpg){kind=link}
![Graphic Summary of Sundown Town Talk to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Part Two [JPEG]](https://justice.tougaloo.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sundown_poster_two.jpg){kind=link}
Sundown Towns Treated in Hollywood Feature Films
- In The Green Book (Academy Award, 2019), the “odd couple” come upon a sundown town in Mississippi (where there are almost none) after a road trip through IN IL, and IA (where there are hundreds).
- The sheriff in The Fugitive Kind, starring Marlon Brando, tells of a neighboring Mississippi town with a sundown town sign.
- Sudie and Simpson is set in rural Georgia north Georgia where sundown towns did exist, although this town is imaginary. [Not really “false”]
- Lovecraft Country, a series on HBO, debuted summer 2020, and takes full account of sundown towns in the North, in Pennsylvania I believe.
Reviews and Presentations about Sundown Towns
- Loewen gave a book talk in DC to launch Sundown Towns on BookTV
- Historian Lynn Nielsen reviewed Sundown Towns
- Chuck Meertz interviewed Loewen about sundown towns.
- Francesca Gamber reviewed Sundown Towns for Souls
- Edward Gallagher, Prof. of English at Lehigh U., wrote a very interesting article at his “Reel History” webpage, treating sundown towns (notably Cedar Key, FL, though he doesn’t say so) and historical markers (Rosewood, FL) while reviewing the feature film Rosewood.
Various Articles about Sundown Towns in the News
- Debut of Sundown Towns at Politics and Prose Bookstore in DC
- This article offers a good summary of Sundown Towns
- A sundown town resident set himself on fire to protest his town’s racism. A new film tells his story.
- New Article and Series on Racial Issues in Illinois Cities and Towns
- Christian Science Monitor prints article on Midwestern sundown towns
- WEEK-TV (Peoria, IL) special report “Sundown past influence explored by nationally recognized author”
- WEEK-TV (Peoria, IL) special report “Central Illinois Works to Change Associations With Racist Sundown Towns”
- “Loewen answers attack in Champaign News-Gazette, suggests steps for “recovering” sundown towns in Champaign County to take.”
- “Discussion of interesting interracial town near Waverly, OH, contains first-hand information on Waverly as a notorious sundown town.”
- “Sundown Towns Documentary Airs on Injustice Files”
- Washington Post, “Darkness on the Edge of Town”
- Washington Post, “When Signs Said Get Out”
- The Dallas Morning News found sundown towns in Texas
- Forgotten story of America’s whites-only towns
- “Talking History,” a program of the Organization of American Historians, interviewed Jim Loewen about Sundown Towns.
- Loewen attacks bad history in nomination statement of Kenilworth, IL, as “most endangered historic site”
- Loewen asks Honda why it chose Indiana sundown town for huge new factory
- Elliot Jaspin discussing Sundown Towns
- Jean Pfaelzer discussing Sundown Towns against the Chinese in California
- Sundown Towns in Texas
- Sundown Towns in Indiana
- Sundown Towns in Wisconsin
- Harrison, AR, Sundown Town, on PBS Website
- Harrison, AR, Sundown Town, on SPLC Website
- Elwood and Alexandria, Indiana, as Recovering Sundown Towns, in the Indiana Herald-Bulletin
- A “sundown neighborhood” within Silver Spring, MD, connects with its adjacent black neighborhood.
- “Traveling while black”
- The governor of Indiana tried to stop Loewen from speaking in the state about sundown towns
- Reviews, readers, and critics on the book, Sundown Towns. Include the award it won.
- The American Sociological Association reviewer praises Sundown Towns and agrees with its call for research and change.
- Video about fair housing that references “sundown towns.” (or is said to; in any case, it explains sundown suburbs pretty well)
- Melissa Harris-Perry tells “The History of Sundown Towns” on MSNBC-TV
- Al Roker introduces Keith Beauchamp’s TV report on sundown towns
- “Sundown Town News,” my e-newsletter
- Article, “An Occupied Milwaukee,” by Robert Smith, links the intense segregation in Milwaukee to the sundown towns around it in Wisconsin
- Article, “Author: Sundown Towns in Southern Illinois, Should Acknowledge Racist Past, Take Steps To Change”
- Website: Corbin, KY, an infamous sundown town, takes steps to declare itself a “Sunup City,” welcoming all races.