Sunset cities were places where only certain ethnic, social, or religious groups were allowed after dark. They excluded minorities to ensure they could perform menial jobs during the day. Though officially gone, some communities still show racial segregation, prompting investigations into housing bias.
A sunset city is a city where only people of a certain ethnic, social or religious group are allowed to enter the city after dark. The most infamous examples of sunset cities are probably the all-white cities that were scattered across the United States up until the 1970s. Sunset cities began to fade with the advent of civil rights legislation, and there is some debate as to whether or not such cities still exist.
Before the passage of civil rights legislation, the residents of a sunset city didn’t move around. Most had signs with statements like “racial expletive, don’t let the sun go down on YOU in the name of the city.” Depending on the location of the city at sunset, the sign could specify Black Americans, Native Americans, Asians, or residents of Central and South America, with language ranging from the relatively tame “No Mexicans” to much more racist language. Sunset towns in some areas were also closed to members of the Jewish faith after dark.
By excluding unwanted minorities after dark, sunset cities could ensure that these minorities could perform menial jobs in the city during the day. Women might travel to cities to work as housekeepers, for example, or men might work for municipal garbage collection agencies. All of these individuals, however, would have had to leave the city by sundown, or suffer serious consequences.
In the mildest cases, a curfew violator in a sundown city would simply be escorted beyond the city limits by law enforcement. In the most severe cases, people would be severely beaten for being found in the city after dark, and in some cases people would be lynched or shot for being in the city after dark. Many minorities have run afoul of the rules in sunset cities historically, but were afraid to oppose them for fear of retaliation that could cost them their lives.
Travelers from regions without cities at sunset often found such cities and their accompanying offensive signage both curious and disturbing. In the case of Southern and Midwestern sunset cities that banned blacks, for example, locals simply avoided the city after dark, but visiting blacks could find themselves in awkward situations because they didn’t see or understand the warning signs. danger of the city at sunset.
Officially, the sunset cities no longer exist. However, some communities demonstrate a marked degree of racial segregation, suggesting that the community has made an active effort to prevent unwanted minorities from settling in the area, despite anti-discrimination laws. Several organizations, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are attempting to investigate reports of such blatant segregation, to determine whether or not housing bias is involved, and if so, to prosecute those responsible .
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
