“From Maine to California, thousands of communities kept out African Americans (or sometimes Chinese Americans, Jewish Americans, etc.) by force, law, or custom. These communities are sometimes called “sundown towns” because some of them posted signs at their city limits reading, typically, “Nggr, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On You In ___.” Some towns are still all white on purpose. Their chilling stories have been joined more recently by the many elite (and some not so elite) suburbs like Grosse Pointe, MI, or Edina, MN, that have excluded nonwhites by “kinder & gentler means.” James W. Loewen. Learn more

Sundown Town

Kenneth Woods

VERSE 1

Now that you’ve done
What they brought you here for
This is a place
You ain’t welcome no more
You laid tracks of iron
To carry their trains
Now your work is finished
So let me explain

CHORUS

Sundown town, sundown town
Don’t be walkin’ around
If you’re yellow or brown.
This is a sundown town

Sundown town, sundown town
Hide yourself underground
Or to Hell you’ll be bound
This is a sundown town.

VERSE 2

When the day’s nearly over
And the sun starts to set
You best clear off the streets
And you better well get
‘Right back under the ground
Before it is night
Because this here city
Belongs to the white

CHORUS 2

Sundown town, sundown town
Don’t be walkin’ around
If you’re yellow or brown.
This is a sundown town

Sundown town, sundown town
Hide yourself underground
Or to Hell you’ll be bound
This is a sundown town.

BRIDGE

VERSE 3

Could be your daughter or son
Your father or wife
If they’re out after dark
They may pay with their life
Now you must live in the shadows
You must live underground
Now you’ve built them their railway
They don’t want you around