In this research seminar, students will research and write about the racial histories of small towns in the United States. We will focus on suspected “sundown towns,” places where residents drove out or actively excluded specific groups from residing there (from being in a town after sunset) through ordinances, signs, and acts of violence. Sundown towns excluded Black people, and in some cases, Chinese Americans, Jewish people, and other racialized groups. Since the nineteenth century these towns have been prevalent throughout the United States and especially in the Midwest, West, and East.

Students will conduct research into these towns and work collaboratively to contribute their findings to a website devoted to documenting the history of sundown towns. Students will also research and write about the racial past of a town, exploring the racial groups and interracial interactions in that place. They will research local records, including in libraries and archives, census records, local histories, and oral histories. They will share their findings online using StoryMaps.

Public-facing goals include educating the public about sundown towns and working with local communities on how to respond to these troubling histories through acknowledgement and through concrete steps toward racial justice in their communities.

Course Requirements:

Research and writing in local history; collaborative work on a website; collaborative work on a StoryMaps project

Intended Audience:

History majors and minors; advanced undergraduates in American Culture, DAAS, RC, and other departments; students interested in public history and social justice work. Interested students should contact the professor directly at sberrey@umich.edu.

Class Format:

Seminar