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History of the "Most Racist Town" in America
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Mar 21, 2025
History of Sundown Towns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTrxAKpVi3Q Harrison, Arkansa is deemed the most racist town in America. Is the title warranted? Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any future videos! Check out the books we love and recommend in our Black Excellence Book Club: https://www.blackexcellence.com/store/ Some links are affiliate links, which means we earn a very tiny commission if you make a purchase. __________________________________________________________ Sharing interesting and noteworthy stories in Black culture. All content provided by Black Excellence Media, LLC is for entertainment purposes only. None of the information or advice provided is to replace professional advice. Website: https://blackexcellence.com
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Nestled in the Ozark Mountains,
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Harrison, Arkansas is home to
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approximately 13,000 residents. Despite
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its pictures setting, Harrison has long
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been burdened with the label of
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America's most racist town. This
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reputation stems from a series of
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historical events and the presence of
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white supremist organizations in the
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vicinity. Harrison was home to some
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famous billboards that greet visitors
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upon entering the town. I mean, you
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probably have seen some of them. But
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Harrison is also the hometown of Miss
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Arkansas 2022, Ebony Mitchell. And she
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also became the face of Harrison. So
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what's the deal with this town? Does it
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truly deserve the title the most racist
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town in America? Hi, my name is Jared
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and welcome to Black Excellence. We
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explore where and how black people live
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in America with some nods to noteworthy
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moments in black history. In the early
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1900s, Harrison experienced two
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significant race riots that profoundly
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impacted its demographic composition.
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The first occurred in 1905 when economic
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hardships exacerbated by the bankruptcy
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of the St. Louis and North Arkansas
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Railroad led to heightened racial
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tensions. A white mob attacked the black
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community, burning homes and threatening
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residents, resulting in the expulsion of
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nearly all African-Americans from the
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town. A second riot in 1909 further
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cemented this exodus, leaving Harrison
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as a predominantly white community and
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establishing its reputation as a sundown
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town. I recently did a video on sundown
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towns across America. If you missed that
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video, I'll leave a link in the
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description box below this video.
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According to the 2020 census, Harrison
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has a population of 13,000 people. 88%
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are white. Guess the black percentage.
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Less than 1% are black. That's
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0.41%. I mean, the demographic breakdown
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literally said there are just 53 black
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people in the whole town. Decades later,
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Harrison's proximity to the headquarters
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of the Knights of the Klux Clan, as you
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guys know, the KKK, further tarnished
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its image. The presence of these
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organizations perpetuated the town's
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association with racism, overshadowing
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the efforts of many residents who oppose
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these ideologies. I mean, what Harrison
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is most famous for is those billboards.
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In 2013, a billboard appeared in
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Harrison bearing the message, "At
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anti-racist is a code word for
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anti-white." This slogan, of course, is
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associated with white nationalist
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ideologies and has been linked to the
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white genocide conspiracy theory.
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Another billboard displayed the message,
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"Diversity is a code word for white
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genocide," reinforcing white supremacist
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narratives. This sign further cemented
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Harrison's association with racist
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ideologies. In 2015, a billboard
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promoting white pride radio was put up
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along Highway 65 near Harrison. The sign
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featured white nationalist imagery and
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directed viewers to a website supporting
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white supremacist views. A more recent
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billboard displayed the message, "It's
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not racist to love your people." A
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phrase often used in white nationalist
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circles to promote racial segregation
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under the disguise of cultural pride.
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National media outlets have highlighted
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Harrison's struggles with these
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billboards, often referring to the town
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in the context of racism and white
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supremacy. As of recent reports, some of
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the offensive billboards have been
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removed, reflecting ongoing efforts to
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improve the town's image. Recognizing
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the detrimental impact of this
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reputation on the community's social and
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economic well-being, then Mayor Bob
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Reynolds established the Harrison
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Community Task Force on race relations.
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This group, comprising local clergy and
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volunteers, aimed to address the town's
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past and promote a more inclusive
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future. Confronting the past, the task
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force undertook various initiatives to
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foster dialogue and understanding. They
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organized events such as the annual
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations
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and educational programs to raise
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awareness about the importance of
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diversity. However, these efforts were
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met with resistance from extremist
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groups, highlighting the challenges of
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changing long-standing perceptions. In
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July 2020, amidst nationwide protest for
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racial justice, filmmaker Rob Bliss
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visited Harrison and stood with a Black
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Lives Matter sign. The reactions he
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captured, ranging from support to overt
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hostility, garnered millions of views
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online, reigniting discussions about the
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town's racial climate. While the video
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showcased instances of racism, local
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leaders argued that it did not represent
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the community's collective efforts
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towards inclusivity. Despite these
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challenges, Harrison continues to strive
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for change. The community has hosted
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events promoting unity and has worked to
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counteract negative stereotypes.
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Collaborations with organizations like
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the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr.
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Commission have brought programs to the
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town, aiming to educate and inspire
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residents towards a more inclusive
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future. Like we talked about at the
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beginning, Harrison also had a new face
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representing it. Miss Arkansas 2022.
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Ebony Mitchell, who hails from Harrison,
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has been actively involved in efforts to
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remove offensive billboards and improve
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the town's image. Her involvement
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underscores a community's desire to move
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beyond past associations and foster a
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more inclusive environment. Harrison's
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history is undeniably marred by episodes
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of racial intolerance. However, the
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town's ongoing efforts to confront its
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past and promote inclusivity demonstrate
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a commitment to change. While the label
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of America's most racist town lingers,
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and maybe they shouldn't have it,
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because I'm sure there's a lot of other
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towns that would give this name a run
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for its money, the action of many
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Harrison residents reflect the desire to
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build a community where all are welcome
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and valued. That's it for this episode.
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