Home » Kansas » Oberlin

James W. Loewen (1942-2021)

We mourn the loss of our friend and colleague and remain committed to the work he began.

Oberlin

Kansas

Basic Information

Type of Place
Independent City or Town
Metro Area
Politics c. 1860?
Don’t Know
Unions, Organized Labor?
Don’t Know

Sundown Town Status

Sundown Town in the Past?
Probable
Was there an ordinance?
Don't Know
Sign?
Don’t Know
Year of Greatest Interest
Still Sundown?
Probably Not, Although Still Very Few Black People

Census Information

The available census data from 1860 to the present
Total White Black Asian Native Hispanic Other BHshld
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930 1629 0
1940
1950 2019 0
1960 2337 0
1970
1980
1990 2197 0
2000 1994 5
2010
2020

Method of Exclusion

  • Unknown

Main Ethnic Group(s)

  • Unknown

Group(s) Excluded

  • Black

Comments

Message: 01/07/2008
I lived in a town called Oberlin Kansas. I don’t believe that it was a technical sundown town, but there was a family of migrant farmers who had car trouble. My dad got the Spanish teacher so they could
communicate. During this time the Under Sheriff came by, and told them to be out of town by sundown. He was also an arrogant jerk. I don’t believe that it was a technical sundown town. My dad also lived around this town during the 60’s. I think the main reason there were no black people in that town was that the economy of Oberlin was really fading. The main source of income was farming. The towns that had a better economy and non farming jobs. I also had a friend that was a Highway Patrol officer, and a classmate’s father was a part of the city police. They didn’t share those beliefs. Most people that graduated from H.S. did not stay there. I think it was mainly just a bigoted under sheriff.