Hidden Sundown Towns in America

Think you know America’s history? Some of the darkest chapters hide in plain sight—like

these small towns outside the South that quietly enforced sundown laws. First up is Anna,

Illinois, a town so notorious it earned the nickname “the town that wouldn’t let Black people

stay after dark.” Its streets looked normal during the day, but at night,

the unspoken rules were deadly serious. Then there’s Sparta, New Jersey, where signs and

threats kept Black residents and visitors out for decades, all while the town maintained a calm,

“friendly” facade. And don’t forget Brigham City, Utah, a place where families

were told they couldn’t settle or even linger past sunset, creating a silent but rigid system