Banished from Johnstown

Racist Backlash in Pennsylvania

By: Cody McDevitt, Tony Norman - foreword

Narrated by: Danny Campbell

Author and journalist Cody McDevitt tells the story of one of the worst civil rights injustices in Western Pennsylvania history.

In 1923, in response to the fatal shooting of four policemen, the mayor of Johnstown ordered every African American and Mexican immigrant who had lived in the city for less than seven years to leave. They were given less than a day to move or would face crippling fines or jail time and were forced out at gunpoint. An estimated two thousand people uprooted their lives in response to the racist edict. Area Ku Klux Klan members celebrated the creation of a "sundown town" and increased their own intimidation practices. Figures such as Marcus Garvey spoke out in Pittsburgh against it as newspapers throughout the country published condemnations.

©2020 Cody P. McDevitt (P)2024 Tantor

This happened in Johnstown!

I admire the thorough research done by the writer. The audiobook narrator made the story easily understood. I thank the writer for bringing this event to my attention.