James Loewen - Recent Writings

Recent Writings

Continuing his interest in racial conflict in the United States, Loewen wrote Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism (2005). The book documents the histories of sundown towns, which are towns where black people, Jews, and other minority groups were forced (or strongly encouraged) to leave prior to sundown in order to avoid racial violence threatened and perpetrated by majority white populations. Loewen has written about sundown towns repeatedly throughout his career, including in Lies Across America, where he notably cited the affluent suburb of Darien, Connecticut as meeting his definition of a modern-day de facto sundown town.

At present, Loewen is researching a new book, Surprises on the Landscape: Unexpected Places That Get History Right. The book is planned as follow-up to Lies Across America, which noted historically inaccurate or misleading historical markers and sites across the United States. Surprises will call attention to historical sites that are accurate and provide honest representations of events. His official website invites the public to comment on what towns and historical sites should be included in terms of presenting history "right".