(And We Gazed Upon the Chimes of) Freedom Flashing

A Step Back.

Yashica Mat-124g.

So, this was a little BBQ joint by Anna, IL we hit while wandering around Southern Illinois last month. This place had rave reviews on google places, but I wasn’t too impressed. Inside the small dining room area, we stuck out quite a bit. Lots of Cowboy Hats and suspicious glances. Interestingly enough, through some research my wife was doing for a museum her firm is designing, we found out that Anna, Illinois is a sundown town. There were lots of sundown towns in Illinois. These towns were notable for signs on the main thoroughfares coming into town making blacks aware that they weren’t welcome in town after nightfall, and if they were caught what was to happen to them would be their own fault. Although you’d be hard pressed to find this history anywhere in Anna, the town’s name is derived from the phrase, “Ain’t No Niggers Allowed”. I felt sick driving through the city center.