Comparative Case Study: The history of Sundown Towns

Abstract Comparative Case Study: The History of Erwin: Sundown Towns Amyre Cain and Dr. Candace Forbes Bright, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. The conception of Sundown Town is to exploit minorities from their land. This increases white spaces that allow racism and other racial issues to increase. Sundown Town originated between 1865 and the 1930s. After Blacks became free from enslavement, White fear had increased due to the loss of power. White citizens within these towns would forcefully exclude people of color and other ethnicities from their town whenever the sun went down. Specifically, Black residents were forced off of their land by White mobs. In my research, I have examined, through a qualitative case study, how Erwin has Handled and Acknowledged white supremacy and the progress of racial inequality. My methodology for this research consists of interviewing six individuals who not only have played a key role within the community but who are local historians as well. In strengthening the historical understanding of Erwin, there are possibilities for building relations between the black and white communities