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James W. Loewen (1942-2021)

We mourn the loss of our friend and colleague and remain committed to the work he began.

Westville

Illinois

Basic Information

Type of Place
Independent City or Town
Metro Area
Politics c. 1860?
Unions, Organized Labor?

Sundown Town Status

Sundown Town in the Past?
Probable
Was there an ordinance?
Perhaps, Some Oral Evidence
Sign?
Perhaps, Some Oral Evidence
Year of Greatest Interest
Still Sundown?
Probably Not, Although Still Very Few Black People

Census Information

The available census data from 1860 to the present
Total White Black Asian Native Hispanic Other BHshld
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990 3387
2000 3175 3107 13
2010
2020

Method of Exclusion

  • Reputation

Main Ethnic Group(s)

Group(s) Excluded

  • Black

Comments

A former resident stated that there was strong oral tradition of the town being sundown. While she lived there, there were no black families.

One resident recalled a story of a black family that was trick-or-treating being told they were not allowed in the town. This was in the 1960’s. -email, March 2012