Glendale, California has become the first city in the state and the third in the nation to apologize for its history as a “sundown town.” The term references a time when cites weren’t safe for Black people after the sun went down.
Earlier this year hundreds of people in the city came together to protest calling for social justice in the U.S.
The Glendale city council unanimously passed a resolution apologizing for and condemning its history as a “sundown town.” According to NBC 4, a book entitled “Sundown Town” by historian James Loewen describes the name given to thousands of cities across the nation where Black people were warned not to get seen their at night.
Various cities even posted signs that read, “Don’t let the sun set on you here, understand,” while towns used intimidation, racial violence or discriminatory laws.
Newspaper going back to the 1930s document Glendale’s history of excluding Black American’s. At one time the city was home to the headquarters to the American Nazi Party.
“It has that legacy and it makes sense to address that head on,” Glendale City Councilman, Dan Brotman told the news station. Brotman says while the resolution is mostly symbolic, it’s an important first step toward creating a better city.
“The resolution does commit us to look at how we conduct affairs in Glendale and look at how racism may be playing a role,” Brotman said.
The city council has agreed to hire an investigator to do a historic context study to document the racial history of Glendale. This will look into how racial bias plays a facto in the city’s hiring practices, housing and police polices.
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