Let’s be honest — there are still cities in America where Black folks don’t feel comfortable to travel. We’ve seen too much, heard too much, and lived too many stories of threats, harassment, and exclusion to ignore the signs. From the forced expulsions in Forsyth County, Georgia, to hate crimes in Jasper, Texas, the warnings to us still remain today. Even decades after Jim Crow, Black folks continue to face barriers, intimidation, and violence that make some places flat out unsafe.
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We’ve rounded up 13 cities historically documented as “sundown towns,” where Black folks have faced racist, unsettling, or deadly incidents — reminders of a harrowing legacy that still urges caution today.
Jasper, Texas
Try That in A Small TownSmall Town: Jasper, TX, population 6900Tried: To Get A Ride Home in Jasper, Texas, on June 7, 1998. James Byrd accepted a ride home from Shawn Berry and two friends. Instead of taking Byrd home, the three men took Byrd to a remote county road, beat… pic.twitter.com/x3yOSIfhc9
— Harvey 🌊👨🏿🏫✊🏽 (@Skinsurrection) July 23, 2023
On June 7, 1998, James Byrd Jr., a Black man, was murdered by three white men in Jasper, Texas. The perpetrators dragged Byrd by his ankles behind a pickup truck for three miles, resulting in his tragic death. Now, his loved ones are left questioning how much has actually changed in Texas, per The Texas Tribune.
Ocoee, Florida
104 years ago on November 2-3, during Election Day in 1920, the single bloodiest day in modern America political history happened, The Ocoee Massacre.A black man attempted to vote & the Ku Klux Klan responded with rampage that led to the exile/death of every black person that… pic.twitter.com/OKAM0LQgKF
— AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@AfricanArchives) November 2, 2024
On November 2, 1920, during the presidential election, Black residents of Ocoee attempted to exercise their right to vote, leading to violent retaliation by white mobs. Dozens of Black folks were hung, and Black-owned homes were burned to the ground amid the violence, per Calendar. Following the massacre, Ocoee was classified as a “sundown town.”
Forsyth County, Georgia
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