What is sundown towns virginia?

Sundown towns were communities where African Americans, and sometimes other minority groups, were not welcome after dark. Virginia had many sundown towns during the early to mid-20th century, especially in the rural areas. In these towns, black individuals were met with violence, harassment, or arrest if they were caught out after dark. Some examples of Virginia's sundown towns include Farmville, Appalachia, and Irvington. The practice of excluding African Americans from certain towns or neighborhoods was based on racism and segregation, and it perpetuated the broader inequality and injustice in the United States at the time. Sundown towns were a dark chapter in Virginia's history of racial discrimination, and many efforts have been made today to dismantle the legacy of this prejudice.