Overview
Vidor Texas Sundown Town
Quick History of Vidor Texas as a Sundown Town:
Vidor Texas, a small city in the southeastern part of the state, has a history deeply intertwined with the dark legacy of being a sundown town. Sundown towns were municipalities in the United States that practiced racial segregation by excluding non-white individuals through discriminatory local laws, intimidation, and violence. Throughout much of the 20th century, Vidor Texas was notorious for being unwelcoming to African Americans, with signs reportedly posted at the city limits warning Black people to leave by sundown. This reputation was further cemented by incidents of violence and intimidation that discouraged African Americans from residing or even staying in the town after dark. Such practices were part of a broader pattern of racial exclusion prevalent in many parts of the United States during that era.
Recent Events of Vidor Texas:
Despite the legal advancements brought about by the Civil Rights Movement, Vidor’s reputation as a sundown town persisted into the late 20th century and beyond. In the early 1990s, attempts to integrate public housing in Vidor faced significant resistance and drew national attention, highlighting the town’s ongoing struggle with racial inclusivity. While some efforts have been made in recent years to confront and change this legacy, including community initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusiveness, Vidor still grapples with the remnants of its past. The town’s historical association with racial exclusion remains a significant part of its identity, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for the community as it works towards a more inclusive future.
Green Book Global’s goal is to document legacy sundown towns in the USA and highlight the impact they have had on destinations. Additionally, we leverage our travel community to share personal recommendations and warnings to show how welcoming cities are to Black travelers. We are continuing the work of the History of Local Justice started by Jame Loewen at Tougaloo College. Below, you will see reviews from Black Travelers who have gone to Vidor Texas.
Want to learn more about sundown towns? Click this link for a list of sundown towns in the USA.
So, seeing everybody talk about how they came to this town before all of the KKK either died or got sent to prison and when let out, shamed out of Vidor by the local people and threatened to be murdered if they ever returned to try to start a racist rally here, ever again, I suppose I understand why you would be afraid as, well.. Any race, to be honest. Last year in June, 2023 members of the KKK were let out of prison, those who were still alive at least, and tried to reform the KKK and start a riot. In their attempts they majorly failed, and were forced out of Vidor and told to never return, because we obviously don’t support their beliefs, nor their actions, not even their mind sets. Mind you, these KKK members are meth heads, and cracked out, who also all aren’t white people, and yet call white “superior” and yet think a black person is to blame? Who in their right mind is going to side with that? So, the city of Vidor, (including me) intentionally waited for an ex KKK member to try to start a riot, we protested against them for 2 days and finally the KKK left because according to the news word’s “they felt unwelcome.” They’re not only unwelcome, they’re banned and on top of when they tried to reform, afterwards, they were thrown right back into prison.
Vidor,Tx is wild. We were coming from a track meet in 2004. Stopped at the McDonald’s there. When we walked in the door all the workers just stopped and started looking at us weird. One of the workers went to college with us so she knew most of us.
Before we left she told us to never stop in this town again and definitely don’t stop here at night because they really hate blacks here and something horrible may happen to y’all.
And until this day I never stopped there if I’m driving to Texas. Have things changed I have no idea but I’m not going to find out. You only need to tell me once not to stop there.
Helpful tip. Try to learn a few things about the place you plan on visiting
This review is for my fellow people of color who are traveling though Vidor, Tx to get to another destination. I live in the next town over, and I must say that my initial fear of Vidor had been justified because of its strong stigma for being one of the most racist sundown towns in the US. Over the years, they really lived up to its reputation. As a matter of fact, about 25 years ago one of my coworkers lived in Vidor with his white wife and a cross was burned in their front yard. My dad was working in Vidor one hot summer and he had to send a white coworker in the store to buy him a beverage because they wouldn’t serve him. With all of this said, I can say that Vidor has been actively trying to reverse this repulsive stigma that lingers over it like a dark cloud. I had car trouble a few years back and, of course, my car gave out in Vidor. Of course, it did. I’ll be honest. I was afraid. But I was treated very well by the people who helped me and this helped to alleviate some of that anxiety that I feel passing though there. In addition, they have been holding rallies in support of BiPOC. My mind , along with everyone else’s, was blown. I know some really awesome people from Vidor and I’m no longer afraid to go there or pass through. The younger generations are trying hard to create a more welcoming community.
In 2022 one would think there are not still active sundown towns in the U.S.A. but that sadly is not the case. If you check out the latest tiktok video you will see an unfortunate recap of black man’s experience in Vidor, Texas:
To set the context, Vidor, Texas is a sundown town that up to late 1960’s had signs that read
“Nit*er Don’t Let the Sun Set on You in Vidor”. In 1982 there was was class action lawsuit filed due to racial discrimination of African Americans in East Texas. In 1992, Vidor gained national attention when the Klu Klux Klan drove out some of the town’s FIRST African American residents. In 2022, black people still warn to not even get gas in Vidor, and the recent TikTok video mentioned seeing a black doll, wrapped in a confederate flag, hanging by a tree from its neck.
Just do you know Vidor is about 15 minutes from Beaumont, Texas and less than 2 hours away from Houston.