A sundown town is a community or municipality in the United States that deliberately excluded nonwhite people, especially African Americans, from residing or remaining within its boundaries after sunset. These towns practiced racial segregation through discriminatory local laws, intimidation, violence, or economic coercion to maintain an all-white population. The name "sundown town" comes from signs posted at the town limits warning Black people to leave by sundown, such as "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on You in [Town]"
. Sundown towns were most prevalent from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, roughly between 1890 and 1968, when the Fair Housing Act outlawed racial discrimination in housing. Enforcement methods included violent threats, public lynchings, housing covenants preventing property ownership or rental by minorities, and social or economic pressures. Some sundown towns also excluded other minority groups such as Jews, Native Americans, Chinese, and Japanese Americans
. While sundown laws are now illegal, some towns historically identified as sundown towns have struggled with ongoing racial issues, and some modern practices like racial profiling or gentrification are seen as echoes of sundown town policies
. In summary, a sundown town was a racially exclusive white community that used formal or informal means to keep minorities, especially African Americans, out after dark, reinforcing systemic racial segregation in American history
