Mystery of the sundown sign in Grand Saline revealed and exposed.

This news article will explain where the sundown sign in Grand Saline was located and what happened to the sundown sign.

There was a sundown sign posted inside of Pole Town Cemetery in Grand Saline, Texas which read, “Nigger, don’t let the sun set down on you in Grand Saline”. Some residents of the area remember this sundown sign and another sign being at the edge of town on each side warning black people to get out before sundown. This sign was posted within the city limits of Grand Saline, Texas. One read, “Don’t let the sun set on your black ass.” and the other read, “Nigger, don’t let the sun set down on you in Grand Saline”. The racist mindset of this sign “kill niggers and put their heads up on a pole”. In other to have black people brutally decapitated. Grand Saline was a sundown town. Regular Klan activity was commonplace. (Ref: https://www.texasobserver.org/man-on-fire-searches-in-vain-for-the-truth-about-racism-in-east-texas/)

Some residents in the area remember a sign at the edge of town warning black people to get out before sundown. This sign ordered black people to leave by sundown. However some people dispute this fact and claim this sign had never existed. Many people seem to deny the sign’s existence and choose not to talk about it. This was because black people were supposedly were hung from the sign. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=KZ5iDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80)

Here is what happened to one man who didn't heed the warning. One man was passing through Grand Saline unaware of the town being a sundown town. He was caught after dark by some white men. Those white men took him and hung him on a pole. He was hung in Pole Town, named for its lynching pole. Others were hung from a wooden railroad bridge. Black people's bodies had been put on display on poles after they were lynched after being brutally decapitated. Others say mutilation of the corpses were put up for public display. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/218521927/)

Stories are told of black people who would get off the fast Texas and Pacific trains through Grand Saline but would be informed by a sign which read "Nigger don't let the sun set on you in Grand Saline." There is no secret that Grand Saline has a long record of racial hostility due to their history. However this is not surprising given that Van Zandt County was notorious for being an anti-black county notorious for harassing blacks. Grand Saline and Van Zandt County was one of 37 places in East Texas where blacks were historically not welcome. Hooded Klansmen still roamed the night even during the late 20th century. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/634533381/)

The sundown sign was located at 8212 US 80 Grand Saline, Texas, US 75140.