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The Disturbing Truth About Sundown Towns

Some experts believe James Loewen's research is overstating the severity and prevalence of sundown towns. After he released "Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism," two historians argued against the evidence Loewen presented.

According to the Washington Post, one historian, Andrew Wiese, took issue with Loewen's definition of sundown towns, stating it was too broad and fused housing discrimination with racist tactics to expel Black people from towns. Another historian and sociologist, Thomas J. Sugrue, argues Loewen's research relies too much on hearsay through oral histories.

However, second generation sundown towns are now reckoning with their past, and it is being met with resistance. Loveland, Colorado, is experiencing this, as NPR reports the city council in 2019 wanted to expand equity measures to make it more diverse. White residents have pushed back and argued there is not a race problem and, ironically, the issues are arising because of discussion about the city's past racist history.

Interestingly, when given the choice, white homebuyers will more often than not choose to live in areas with higher concentrations of white people (via the Atlantic). Realtors also continue to funnel people towards neighborhoods with similar races. The 2015 article from the Atlantic reveals white flight is still happening, and it is pricing some minority communities out. Municipal authorities are resistant to mixed income housing in some cities, which could desegregate once inaccessible neighborhoods. In the end, they tend to yield to wealthy white property buyers.

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Almeda Bohannan

Update: 2024-05-04