EVERYTHING THAT I USE IN THE FIELD: Main Camera: amzn.to/3iS4vvF Side Cameras: amzn.to/2WuCYIs Media Mod for Camera: amzn.to/3j7CMGF Lav Mic: amzn.to/3lsMkz9 Drone: amzn.to/3ITcKBV SD Cards: amzn.to/3C2co9O Camera Mounts: amzn.to/2UXVR6p Cables Required for Longer Recordings: amzn.to/3BYnr3Q Computer: amzn.to/3787b2j External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3lb23Tf WHAT I USE AT HOME: Computer: amzn.to/3rKIdiN Sound Mixer: amzn.to/3C15Ubx Microphone: amzn.to/2VaCjvo Microphone Accessories: amzn.to/3v7A35Z INTERACTIVE MAP that shows you all of the places that I've made videos on: (Doesn't always work on mobile devices. Will always work on PC.) www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?hl=en&mid=1Lhzf04ocimPu-ROkg4cfXEYEvKMNnlI5&ll=43.06219876674538%2C-83.82163216337808&z=10 SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO: Email: ChrisHardenYT@Gmail.com On Twitter: twitter.com/Chris_Harden55 On Instagram: instagram.com/c_harden7/?... On Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisHardenYT/ DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

@dougarnold7955

3 жыл бұрын

KZread is great...the timestamps are a nice feature too! Thanks. ... channel looks really good.

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, Doug!

@riverbendmusicpromotions8114

2 жыл бұрын

Grew up there. Ran far far away 20 years ago. Union co. IL is still a very racist stuck in 1950's ways.

@koderedentertainment1903

2 жыл бұрын

This whers they kilt Jelani Day a few months ago

@trecater8772

2 жыл бұрын

@@ChrisHarden Pekin Illinois near Peoria maybe the worst in Illinois

I’m literally in tears! Years ago my car caught a flat on Christmas Eve traveling to my dads funeral and a sheriff told me to get my children together and he’d have my car towed to his father who owned a tire shop but had closed early for the holiday..When we got there his elderly father greeted us as if we were his own guest rather than customers. He offered coffee, drinks & snacks for the kids while we waited. Not only did he change the tire free of charge he gave my kids a 20 dollar bill a piece for Christmas.. Here’s the creepy part, the son( Sheriff) followed us out the town and about 5 miles before he turned around! Now I understand why🤧 I kept the dads business card and mailed him an thank you card and a appreciation token because he refused to take it in person.. There’s still angels in this world and in the town of Anna.. I’m glad I ran across this post..

@geckogal1024

Жыл бұрын

are you black?

@adamneal3005

Жыл бұрын

Sheriff Brian Watkins is a great man!

@missbdainty1

Жыл бұрын

Wow. Blessings to him for being a blessing to The Most Highs people.

@workhard1333

Жыл бұрын

Are you white? No disrespect

@Uniqueandbless

Жыл бұрын

God was surely with u. Thank u Jesus!

I’m 32 a black male from Chicago. I went to college at southern Illinois university in edwardsville. A nice amount of white friends I met freshman year were from Anna and they were all great guys with a friendship that was genuine and always felt accepted amongst them all. And even though they never came off as racist to me they told me that the long time nickname for Anna was Ain’t.No.Niggas.Allowed. It was shocking when they told me and it was obvious they didn’t live life feeling that way. And always invited me to Anna and promised I would be the safest with them while there. But yea long story short after they told me that I never took a trip to Anna to visit 🤣😬. I believe they woulda made sure I was okay but I passed on it. Shout out to all my anna friends I miss those guys

@rarebreed4512

6 ай бұрын

smart man 😭✊️

@kissbare5627

5 ай бұрын

Smart. I trust no one. You prob would be on the news

@akiraasmr3002

5 ай бұрын

They couldn't help you though especially in sundown towns you were smart for not going back even if you have some friends there since you're not friends with everyone there.

@MrT-nh6di

4 ай бұрын

Good choice, you would've never returned back home.

@donaldgiltner7232

3 ай бұрын

My wife was raised and went to school there. she told me that Anna stood for what you'd said.pretty sad.

If yall watched "lovecraft country" .. and was paying attention... they highlighted this.

@dominicandream4898

2 жыл бұрын

Yes they did

@amberedey7787

2 жыл бұрын

@@dominicandream4898 facts

Yea went southern Illinois university and had to drive through Anna to get to work got pulled over everyday by the same cop to the point we actually got kinda friendly I would say but it still was profiling

@binkbonk7199

2 жыл бұрын

That’s wild that they profiled you often enough to get to know you. Sounds like a Dave Chappell sketch or something

@DevinNixonDavis

2 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I used to live in southern Illinois and it sucks

@yovanicarrillo5345

2 жыл бұрын

you'll have that

@younotlying

2 жыл бұрын

Should of sued him for a illegal stop

@frankreynolds9418

2 жыл бұрын

The same cop pulled you over everyday? Did he give you a ticket or warning every time that he pulled you over everyday? Do you have any proof that you were pulled over every single time that you passed through this town? Did this cop learn your schedule just so he could pull you over every single day? Did you start leaving early for work in order to accommodate extra time for your daily police stop? Everyday? That's a very believable story.

They still use that acronym. Stopped in there with a black co-worker to grab a bite to eat an a older gentleman behind us in line asked him if he knew what Anna stood for then told him. We left cause we didn't need any problems cause we'll we all know small town cops!

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

I would’ve left too. Maybe would’ve told him some not so nice things on the way out. I’m speechless.

@MiracleFound

3 жыл бұрын

I am so sorry that happened to you. Please know that not everyone feels that way. I am ashamed for the ignorance and hate that you were shown.

@squaw618

3 жыл бұрын

@Tim Cahill....the key word in your comment is [ older ] gentleman. He was probably younger during the riots in southern Illinois. So was I, but do not have the same opinion. Please, don't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. We are all equal.

@squaw618

3 жыл бұрын

@@ChrisHarden Please don't judge us ...he's one. Anna is a friendly town. We have residents from all walks of life. Much respect from Southern Illinois

@darron7714

3 жыл бұрын

My Lord, when did this happen?

My parents moved from Cairo to Chicago as young adults. We would visit my grandmother and extended family in Cairo over the summers. As a kid I enjoyed but didn't understand why my mom would prepare a lot of food for the trip. But learned that there weren't many places for black families to safely stop for food, gas or restroom breaks with kids. This ugly sore on American will never be healed until we have an honest dialog about our history. Chris, thanks for your contributions to the dialog.

@kenneth9874

Жыл бұрын

Kinda like white folks in the inner city

@missbdainty1

Жыл бұрын

If dialogue hasn't worked thus YET... it'll never work. No talking. It's already prophesied their will be war and bloodshed ...as it's always been inorded for another to take over or rule over the majority. Which is going to be happening very soon, if you haven't noticed the days and times were in. ⌛

@nelsonmcatee3721

Жыл бұрын

Cairo used to be like some Jim Crow town in Mississippi. Then about 1969, the blacks got fed up with it and fought back. The racist whites even started their own school Camelot High, so their kids wouldn't have to go to school with black kids. Now all the white people are gone. Bye Felicia 👋!

@dglorious1269

Жыл бұрын

Wow, these personal stories are always great to read and hear. Thanks for sharing.

@SummerReign293

9 ай бұрын

I was born in cairo

I’m embarrassed to admit that I grew up in Anna. Their bigotry was/is the norm, not the exception. When I went away to college, I had to unlearn that bigotry and replace that with morality. For over 40 years, I’ve only returned to that community for weddings and funerals.

@nelsonmcatee3721

Жыл бұрын

I work with a guy from Anna. After I watched this video I asked him about it. He said it's not as bad as it used to be. If Iron Kettle was still there I would like to take my girlfriend there, but not after I saw this video.

@dglorious1269

Жыл бұрын

Wow.

@charlessedlacek5754

Жыл бұрын

And we should believe you?

@TypeTwoAdventures

Жыл бұрын

@@charlessedlacek5754 - Do you have an opposing viewpoint? Let’s hear it.

@AJKPenguin

11 ай бұрын

Don't be embarrassed. Take the past with humility and grace. Never forget the chapters of our lives, even the pages we think are dark and violent. Certainly it isn't good the ignorance was rampant and you were not at fault swept in the gloom. Yet it can become a fault for having the pride to say I'm far better than those. . .egos simply can get the better of us quickly and we then become no better than what we claim to be above.

Saw a comment on Reddit, searched on google to see what it meant and found this video. Less than 10 minutes into it and I already appreciate the effort you put in it.

I moved from Carbondale to a Chicago suburb halfway through high school. One of my teachers was asking me about SIL and I mentioned Anna being a sundown town. She genuinely didn’t know what the term meant and I had to explain it to her. I was about as shocked that there were people who hadn’t ever heard of sundown towns as she was that sundown towns even existed lol

@tammybrown4901

2 жыл бұрын

Sad isnt it

@donaldjones318

2 жыл бұрын

If she was white she knew

@polarisjustdothework2258

2 жыл бұрын

Sad to say I’m 55 years old and probably learned of sundown towns only a few years ago 😔 Our education systems do not teach us the truth, which keeps us ignorant, the opposite of what it is intended to do… We can’t learn from a history that is kept from us 💔

@GetUnwoke

2 жыл бұрын

Tbh I just found out about sundown towns on Reddit today, so here I am now investigating on KZread. Lol Lived in California my whole life so I feel like I've been kinda sheltered from the reality of the type of in-your-face racism that exists in other states.

@queenofthenile2012

2 жыл бұрын

She's LIE'N to YOU..All racist WHITE supremacists in WHITE America knows about SUN DOWN TOWNS..And THATS a FACT!

I have family all over the state of Illinois, and I was born and raised in the deep South. I can honestly say when I visited family up north, I experienced more racism than you can ever imagine. The worse and the most frightening experience is when I visited my sister who lived right outside of Boston. I swore I would never return there ever again. My home town was not perfect, but I never felt afraid or threatened when out and about.

@JoeyLegendd

Жыл бұрын

Facts, people think the south is racist (I'm in FL) but I never experienced such blatant racism until I went to Chicago.

@marydeceptishroom9351

Жыл бұрын

I'm an hour south of Anna and never knew about this. Never witness blatant racism in real life until I went north towards chicago and up to Michigan

@Chevyboiz

Жыл бұрын

@@JoeyLegendd You must have went thru Cicero. You won't necessarily experience it directly in the city of Chicago

@JoeyLegendd

Жыл бұрын

@@Chevyboiz nah man it was in the city of Chicago. The trains, the stores.

@Chevyboiz

Жыл бұрын

@@JoeyLegendd Oh so black folks don't operate the liquor stores no more in Chicago?? Wow

Just discovered this channel, amazing quality and very interesting history provided. Love this style!

My father was from Illinois, my mother from Tennessee. I was born in the early 60's. I was raised to believe color doesn't matter and not to judge people by color. I raised my daughter the same way. Her bff from before we left the bigger city for a quieter life was a girl of color. They're both grown now. We're still in touch. She's part of our family, the girls were that close. It was heartwarming to watch them together. They were truly sisters. It's a shame everyone can't be like they are.

@empressof1

Жыл бұрын

See laws that effect colors

@runswithwolf7498

Жыл бұрын

I know that feeling. I lived in Birmingham and my best friend was black. We didn't see white & black, just people. His family treated me like family.

@sealyoness

Жыл бұрын

It is a shame. My mom taught us (mostly by example) to be respectful everyone. White, Black, Hispanic, etc, didn't matter.

@dawncrawford7183

Жыл бұрын

You were truly blessed. That’s the way it should be. My liberal parents wouldn’t allow me to have my best friend in grade school spend the night. Here was their answer. What would the neighbors think? Don’t like making anything political because it’s on both sides. With that being said everybody knows Illinois history. Read about Southern Illinois KKK and highly recommend Bloody Williamson book.

@holyexperience1976

Жыл бұрын

@@sealyoness Key word: Example! People complain about not enough whoopings and beat downs today, but examples are far more important. Adults today are not enough of example regardless of age.

Chris I really appreciate you for putting together this video. Great history. Important lessons and beautiful cinematography.

I have driven/riden through this town since the 80s when I was a kid, going to Cape Girardeau to visit my Grandmother. Not too much has changed but it has certainly been a well kept town to say the least. Thank you for the videos of the Souther Illinois and Southern Missouri. As for the town changing the name, I think if you try to gloss over what use to be, or try to cover up the past with a name change you diminish the history of those that lived it, endured its struggles, and not learn from it. To teach others in the future you have to have something to show, and a path way to educate to make better.

@gringa4914

3 жыл бұрын

i love this comment

@_HellYeah

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for saying that coolhand501. Changing things like names solves very little. We need to learn from the good and the bad from the past. Avoiding controversies makes people weak and breeds bad ideas.

@mimi7574

3 жыл бұрын

@@_HellYeah ehhhhh considering this acronym I’ve been hearing if it was named solely on the premise of racism I don’t see why it couldn’t be changed...especially if it’s not racist anymore (which we know it is)

@_HellYeah

3 жыл бұрын

@@mimi7574 Go back and watch the video again. The town is named after a woman named Anna. In order to claim that it is still racist you would need to go over there and prove that and not just speculate. We as a people need to stop lumping things together and assigning some sort of attitude or behavior to it.

@mimi7574

3 жыл бұрын

@@_HellYeah I said, which we know it still is because there’s a database of sundown towns accessible to the public and this database gets updated when incidents occur and when I clicked on Anna the last incident was someone being advised not to stay in 2014 and when they didn’t know why the acronym was said. It can be argued that we don’t know the validity of the claim or that 2014 was a while ago but racist ideology doesn’t just disappear. Even when suppressed, there’s people in that same town teaching it to their kids. To say that it’s not when we know racism has really been apparent lately would be naive. I saw the video title then looked at the database before watching, btw

This video makes me forget it's8 degrees out right now with a foot of snow on the ground and a wind chill advisory for pretty much all this week. Thank you for that.

Your videos are as if I/ 🌍🌎 are in your passenger seat riding & chatting, well done thanks for the tours!

NT, I saw your Cairo and Benton videos, then this one. Great stuff: informative, interesting, unique approach and becoming more refined. Really great work. Thanks for the videos!

Thank you for putting time stamps in your videos!

Great coverage and historical facts! Your channel is the best virtual travel channel I’ve come across.

@ChrisHarden

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

My maternal family is from Vienna (20 miles east of Anna), another sundown town. Growing up I heard so many stories about the local history. Like what the name Anna stood for, stories about lynchings and black settlements being burned to the ground... As a kid, I thought they were just made up town legends, turns out they were absolutely true.

@AK47_414

2 жыл бұрын

sad stuff :(

@BernieSanders-bn5dk

Жыл бұрын

I bet it was named after Santa Anna he would burn 🔥 White Texan settlements.

@queenofthenile2012

Жыл бұрын

@@AK47_414 But..It Is THE [TRUTH]

@michaeldilsaver9756

Жыл бұрын

This is what kids need to be learning abt in school.

@kber23

Жыл бұрын

Oh shit I was from goreville moved away asap to Missouri

I don't know why I love these drive through videos, but they keep me rapt. I live in southern Illinois. One of the smallest town in the middle of no where. Your Detroit stuff is cool too. I can't stop watching

Chris you do such a great job of giving context of the town's history and explaining local landmarks. I haven't watched very many of your videos, but I really enjoy when I do. Keep up the great work man I love the videos!

I appreciate your video content. It really shines a light on a dark and foreboding past.

wow I really enjoy ALL your post. These are amazing, and love them. This is the part of amreica that often for real thanks!!! Please stay safe and be careful :-)

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words!

Changing the name will do nothing, the name is not at fault. What is at fault are the hearts of those who bore such hate within themselves towards others, for simply being a shade or two different in pigment. And they will have the hardest time coping with such change. But it's still possible nonetheless. Thanks for the content.

@ChrisHarden

2 жыл бұрын

Good thought. Thanks for the comment.

@jaxxone4907

2 жыл бұрын

Hate towards thugs?

@StlJvl

2 жыл бұрын

@@jaxxone4907 yall the last ones to call anybody thug

@MarissaBreAnna

2 жыл бұрын

@@StlJvl say that again!!

@InwardBeautyMinistries

2 жыл бұрын

@@jaxxone4907 bully behind a keyboard and wouldn’t know what to do in a room full of thugs.

Thank you for having a very clean youtube channel

Love your videos and your commentary! I appreciate your dry humor

I love watching you drive around. Since I can't afford to leave my own town anymore

@MS-zg1nq

Жыл бұрын

Biden prices

In the early 1970s I was a photography student at SIU, Carbondale. I drove frequently to Anna to photograph buildings and streets in the late afternoon. This was where I finally discovered and was able to express the beauty of the sun lights in photographs. I snooped around, walked around the streets with a large format camera but nobody bothered me. Back then, I was a young Asian male (from S. Korea) in the 20s. Those B&W photographs taken in Anna are proudly on display in my living room.

@sha-kimyoung907

Жыл бұрын

Umm that's because you are Asian. Try being me. A black man

@adnsmusic3842

7 ай бұрын

So what’s your point? You like small white racist towns?

Thanks for these videos. I am originally from Chicago and the information you have is eye-opening because I never knew the history downstate.

@panchog2552

Жыл бұрын

There are quite a few towns in southern Illinois that are still living in the past.And need I say most Trump support in Illinois comes from down there.

@marcmo7138

Жыл бұрын

@@panchog2552 Almost the whole state is conservative other than a few counties in the north.

@reginaldrichmond9485

9 ай бұрын

Cicero, and oak park used to be sundown towns too.

First time we watch one of your videos we live in Illinois and we had been through Anna and 127 we are subscribed and we enjoyed how you present everything going on😊

@ChrisHarden

6 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Informative video Chris! Keep em coming.

What a great channel, so glad I found it. Thanks for your hard work, traveling and research that you do to share with us! It’s appreciated:)🙏🏻❤️👍🏽

@DerrickDBurns

2 жыл бұрын

It's in Southern Illinois

My congratulations the video is excellent.The video has great images.Good Job :)

I really appreciate the content and the scenic view; I just hope your vehicle is fuel efficient.😇 Thanks.

I’m black and have been to Anna a ton of times. I’ve heard about its reputation but have luckily never experienced anything bad there except for maybe some weird looks and an incident where someone at their courthouse almost got my license suspended because they forgot to submit something. My parents always tell me to be careful when I go there to see friends though. I hear more stuff regarding racism coming from West Frankfort

@Ohmy298

3 жыл бұрын

Be careful and be safe

@jomarz1828

2 жыл бұрын

Not worth the risk... they still the way they were in the past ,don't let tranquility fool you... once someone is spotted the whole town knows, they use technology, cell phones, I've traveled through them towns and I've seen the residents picking throughout their windows, when you think nobody is watching you there's when you're wrong...leaving the past behind "my eye"

@ohioalphornmusicalsawman2474

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you didn't have any troubles in Anna. According to Wikipedia, Anna was 1 percent Black/African American in 2010. Hopefully this means that there is now some racial harmony in Anna.

@DonnieDarko1

2 жыл бұрын

@@jomarz1828 this comment need more view. That's why you won't get it

@DonnieDarko1

2 жыл бұрын

@@jomarz1828 experienced the same,, nothing has changed it just got more sophisticated, your employees, employers, churches, schools, and regularly frequented establishment have been doing the same for a very long time.

Amazing videos. I can tell you work really hard on these!

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Love it! Great channel!

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Damn bro you thought of everything.... I like the way you handle your videos it's informative to the point and factual

Well done, I truly enjoyed this video. Good luck with your channel, excellent format.

I was surprised you didn't touch on the subject of the state mental institution, Choate. I was raised in Anna and our government teacher in high school had given us a brief overview of the way Anna and Carbondale had negotiated to establish either the institution in one town and Southern Illinois University in the other. Growing up we went to Carbondale (30min outside of Anna) for anything more recreational, like malls or movie theaters. Since SIL had been established in Carbondale rather than Anna, thats the city which ended up thriving more economically and in diversity. Since I left in 2018 it seems to be declining more rapidly than I would've expected. I moved to Las Vegas and most people look at me funny when I tell them, I moved to escape a toxic home environment. I understand why though. When you think of someplace lacking in toxicity I don't think most people would think of Vegas especially if you've been or live here. There's plenty of toxicity in Vegas, no doubt. For me though it was about the people I was surrounded by creating a toxic headspace and thats the unfortunate side of a small town. Young adults don't have much option for stimulation, which is why if you aren't stoned all day other people are smoking meth back home. Bored kids park their trucks in empty parking lots getting drunk and gossiping, if there's someone of a minority group in town, theyll be gossiping about them. Everyone tells everyone they know the latest crap they heard about whoever so everyone thinks they know your business and if they don't they're trying to find out. Personally, I wouldn't socialize with many people, im just not naturally gifted at things like that but because I'm a quieter person and also was one of the 3 Asian people in town, it was easy to ostracize me. All that I could handle but I realize now it put me in a guarded kind of mindset, which lead to crippling depression, and my home life was turbulent as well which the added outside negativity combined equalled three hospitalizations on suicide watch and a substance dependency I still battle. People in small towns like Anna are completely unaware how sheltered and narrow their view of everyone else and the world is. I come to Vegas and I can't believe the level of corruption and poverty I see even as we speak. I tell my mother, who still lives in anna, and she refuses to believe me. Its the people though, that make the real difference in any place you call home. Vegas, with all its flaws, I choose over living in a place where people are content settling for what they have, and closing off to the realities of the world. Thats why the BLM protest they participated in is so significant in my mind. Southern Illinoisians In general aren't okay with the injustices they see but they aren't gonna go out of their way to shake up anything. A protest like that in such a small town is so important because these kinds of towns are usually complacent in allowing social injustice to continue because they're not affected the way bigger metropolitan areas are, at least not in any immediately noticeable way. Whatever injustice you may find in larger areas can only be addressed when everyone in the nation is speaking out against it. Simple things like finding a job or getting around has been and still is a real and disproportionately difficult feat in Vegas compared to back home, and while my husband and I are struggling to survive with our first child on the way, ill take the struggle over living in a closed off community. Small towns breed a type of person with a smaller mindset in many ways. The fight to get on our feet is 10x harder out here but when we do, i know we will find more contentment for also being apart of a larger community with more opportunities for personal fulfillment.

@ChrisHarden

Жыл бұрын

I dislike living in small towns for the exact reason that you mentioned! I know that feeling quite well. Hope things turn out well for you in Vegas. About the mental institution, yeah, I messed up on not including that one.

I just learned about sundown towns I had no idea! Its crazy to know this sorta stuff still exists This little town is so cute tho (sad history) I love the houses! Thank you for sharing!

@victordejung5675

Жыл бұрын

Isn’t That Just Crazy! Sorta Ike how illegal drugs 💊💊💉🥄💦🔥🥴🤤😵 just appeared🇺🇸big cities..🤔💭❓

@l.gambino9441

Жыл бұрын

@@victordejung5675 This world is bad regardless, whether it’s a sundown town or drug infested town, hard to find anything good, honest, or safe these days!

@33Donner77

Жыл бұрын

It doesn't exist officially as in the past. Today some people from all backgrounds just gravitate to others like themselves - appearance, interests, socio-economic status, etc. Have you ever been the only one in a group with a different race/culture and socio-economic status? The only one?

@DJ-rt5ls

Жыл бұрын

Now you know where to move, a nice sundown town. No gangs, crime, or rape. Just hard working white people.

@datekaname2246

2 ай бұрын

​@@33Donner77 the thing is that sundown town will literally unalive, attack, etc. Outsiders. Its pure degeneracy and evil.

First, I was watching world of briggs, then I came a-crossed this video talking about Anna, IL, which I thought was some normal small town. A few weeks later in school, I was reading a book about the unequal history of America when I saw Anna, IL in the book. Then I thought that Anna, IL is famous for something. So I came back to this video to watch it and learn all about it, great video!

The best music you've played on any of your videos! Being from Central Illinois, it is amazing the different cultures you encounter throughout Illinois. Demographically, Southern Illinois is basically in the southern US. Illinois could have been 3 states, north of I 80, I 80-I 64 and South of I 64

I've lived in Southern Illinois since 1987, and lived in Union County through junior high/high school. Anna and Jonesboro are basically the same town. You just drive down a street in the middle of town and there's a sign that says Jonesboro city limits. Your GPS took you on scenic route! When I was in high school a Mexican family moved into town, and a certain group of people in town threatened to burn them out... in the 1990's...Having moved here from Dayton, Ohio, I just couldn't believe it.

@girlanonymous

Жыл бұрын

Racists.

beautiful house , beautiful countryside view , thank you mr.chris

Thank you for this video and all your research.

Okay ya got me hooked! As our home is watching the Market, we are processing buying land.

These piano compositions are gorgeous. I'd love to know the name of them.

Watching from Northern Ireland here. Places I will most likely never see in real life. To an outsider, so many of these towns all look like they are straight out of Lanford in Roseanne sitcom. I don't mean that with any offense. I always wanted to live in that house. Although the sundown mentality would scare me off. Even though I'm white. I cannot abide racism or bigotry in any shape way or form.

@turnip5359

Жыл бұрын

Peace walls

@katherinevandervort6402

Жыл бұрын

Sir u r more then welcome to come and visit we r a beautiful little town and it has changed

@cocteaut

Жыл бұрын

@@katherinevandervort6402 What a lovely, kind and caring thing to say. Should I be lucky enough to visit Illinois, and that is a state I have always wanted to visit! It would be an honour to meet and learn more.

@katherinevandervort6402

Жыл бұрын

@@cocteaut I have relatives that live in Ireland and going to the emerald isles would be a dream

@cocteaut

Жыл бұрын

@@katherinevandervort6402 I really hope you get a chance to visit 'our wee place' as we say! The better half and I both did the dna thing, I'm adopted, so it was interesting to see the majority of my living blood kin residing in Canada and the US. Two of my sisters live in British Columbia, got to attend one of the weddings, it was a really special and emotional visit. Also have family in Indiana, New York state, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, Washington state and more (no Illinois yet though!)

From northern Illinois here, and 43 and just learned the meaning. Wow. Now I'm on my way to learn more because I should. Thanks

Well done video! Tha ks for posting!

As you're driving, I kept waiting for Jeremy Dewitt to whiz by yelling. 😁

@SasquatchTrevor

3 жыл бұрын

I want a lieutenant now, SAR-G'NT!

@michaelhamilton8401

3 жыл бұрын

you better figure it out!

I have to admit this was my grandmother's hometown and was settled by many of my ancestors. My great grandfather was a Sheriff here and my 3rd great grandfather was a judge. My grandmother left after she married around 1920, but other family members remained in the family home on Vienna Street. Last time I checked google street view the house was still there but looked abandoned and dilapidated. I never knew the dark history of the town until I started researching the town for genealogy research.

@Numbers-mc2ks

2 жыл бұрын

Sry sir your great grandfather was a racist and yo grandma

@darrickmalloy6909

Жыл бұрын

@@patroberts9497 you would be still living in your moms basement you coward

@manimarie444

Жыл бұрын

@@patroberts9497 what ???

@eclipse3874

Жыл бұрын

@@patroberts9497 bro… what?

@eddymbarusha6004

Жыл бұрын

Some deep racist roots in your family huh

thank you for sharing i love see old towns in different states

Thanks for the info🍀

who the hell would want to live there?

@sheepshoop6190

3 жыл бұрын

It’s nice here, but the people are whack.

@alejandro94zav

3 жыл бұрын

@Maggot I mean if You like being isolated go for it. 👍🏼

@sheepshoop6190

3 жыл бұрын

@Maggot I literally can't change that. Most everyone in my class is a POS, not to mention all the idiots who I have to deal with on a daily basis.

@l0v3lyniaa

2 жыл бұрын

i'm sure [conservative] white people

Lovely music choice with this one 🎹🎼

I'll subscribe since I was so impressed i like to learn mister so you better keep it broad and always intersting

Cool video; I really dig learning about all these far-off places I'll most likely never visit. By the way, there is (or was, I hope they're still active) band from Carbondale IL called Zuul worth checking out.

I used to go to bushnell Illinois and I was wondering if you can do a video on that town or ligonier Indiana.

I don't know how I came across your channel, but I'm glad I did. Being raised in Peoria, IlL and growing up in the projects, I've never even heard of the city of Anna. Thanks for the education and highlighting things that need to change as we evolve as people and a nation. 27 years of active duty military service will change your outlook on the color of a Man's skin. And yes I am a BLACK MAN. Thanks for the content.

@richardvoncline

7 ай бұрын

you people ruined Peoria

@tyleashia714

6 ай бұрын

Im from Peoria I also never heard of Anna certainly wouldn’t ever go there

@tyleashia714

6 ай бұрын

@@richardvoncline😂😂😂😂 it’s 2023 baby get over it

@RobT29

4 ай бұрын

@@richardvonclineGROW UP!!

@RobT29

4 ай бұрын

@@tyleashia714Thank you for that response!

The movie Fugitive with Harrison Ford had a scene filmed in Anna. An ambulance was crossing RR tracks on S Main St then turning right onto E Vienna St 20:54

@17penobscot

3 жыл бұрын

I'm still try'n to find that dam ...

@cornonthecob1268

3 жыл бұрын

@@17penobscot lol, me too !

@justinratcliffe947

3 жыл бұрын

@@17penobscot The dam is actually in North Carolina

I ran the Coca-Cola warehouse in St. Louis. We didn't send our black drivers to Anna. For a reason.

@DJ-rt5ls

Жыл бұрын

Surprised to hear of a black with a job.

@judasz1427

Жыл бұрын

@@DJ-rt5ls grow up it’s 2023

@DJ-rt5ls

Жыл бұрын

@@judasz1427 and there are still 2 times the amount of blacks on unemployment than whites. Yet only 13% of the US population is black. Facts, look it up.

@charlessedlacek5754

Жыл бұрын

Good...not wanted.

@butterflysky590

3 ай бұрын

"Our" black driver's???

I think that if you drove through almost any rural area of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and most any other of the "fly over states" you will see the same amount of closed stores and factories. I live in Missouri and used to ride a motorcycle and have ridden all over this area, yes there is population decline in Illinois and property taxes doubtlessly led to that. Missouri has lower property taxes but outside of the few main cities all the smaller towns are drying up. Western Tennessee and Northern Arkansas are drying up too. We let small to medium industry offshore, this "free trade" sent it all to low wage and third world countries starting in the late 70s and accerating in the 80 and up until today when there is no small industry. Anna had a bakery that employed many people but it closed, most of the bread now come from a larger bakery east of St. Louis in Illinois.

@winkyhere8697

Жыл бұрын

We can blame the Greed Monsters for this outcome. The offshoring continues throughout many industries today, including my own employer (who just laid off a lot of knowledgeable, hard-working people in tech jobs, only to open those positions up again halfway around the world where workers make Far Less pay). This is how Millionaires becomes Billionaires, and that's ALL that matters to the Powers That Be. But we truly Don't need more Billionaires. It's actually the Last thing we need, as a society, unless our own disenfranchisement is the goal. The perks of the past (like pensions, or successful one-income family units) no longer exist for most of the middle class, which has shrunk considerably as more people slid into poverty. Heck, our Social Security funds aren't even safe from political pillaging anymore (SS was once a separate, protected fund, but is increasingly open to raiding, to pay off govt debt). The wages of the middle class have inched up only 10% in terms of buying power, over the past 4+ decades. In that same time, top exec pay has grown by over 970%. These changes weren't accidental. They allowed the Greed Monsters to BUY our political system, making it work Only for themselves. That's why today most of us still pay taxes, while the richest find loopholes & off-shore accounts, shifting their burden to our shoulders. They even erased the Fairness Doctrine, replacing it with...nothing but a "Fake News!" channel that could not have been launched if such a protective regulation was still in place. How ironic that this channel blares that phrase constantly. It's pure projection. Changes in Education also reveal the plan. The cost of a 4-year, in-state degree has risen over 1,200% since 1980, on average. And the college loan system has been thoroughly corrupted, making such loans a trap that will prevent much of today's younger generations from ever being able to afford a home purchase (keeping them locked into paying rent, in a market where corporations have scooped up as many homes as they could). Look at how the well-paid shills on that afirementioned TV "news" show try to undermine public ed, promoting efforts to funnel $$ from public schools to support private schools instead... using OUR tax dollars to save the rich even more on the cost of an education option that Isn't an option for most citizens. The Filthiest of the Rich Still want slaves, and are determined to get them. They don't care what it does to our nation, b/c they frankly don't believe in Democracy. They want serfs, instead, forever indebted to them & filling their coffers. Certain "news" segments have gone so far as to declare that a college education "isn't worth the cost" anymore. It's certainly unaffordable (& made so on purpose), yes. But it remains a crucial element for most members of our society, to be able to earn more than just a living-paycheck-to-paycheck wage. The rich know that. They're simply making sure their own precious scions don't have as much competition in gaining the finer things in Life, to which they feel Entitled. It's revolting, and Evil. Wonder why other things most Americans once enjoyed, like traveling, have become so very expensive? Or why prices continue to rise, even for products made by companies that enjoyed "banner years" during the pandemic? Price-gouging is a profitable way for rich schmucks to cement their Power by bleeding the rest of us dry. We used to have more regulations in place to prevent things like business monopolies, but then the folks who envision themselves as Barons fooled simple minds into seeing such safety measures as "bad for business" when they were only bad for Billionaires. Having guardrails to prevent abuse is actually a Good thing. But good luck convincing someone of that Fact (or most other facts) if they've littered their front yard w/ tribalistic political signage. Wonder how a company can shed hundreds or thousands of workers, but still grant its top level execs millions in bonuses? Blame Greed. It's also what will send a lot of souls to an unexpected destination, if there truly is an afterlife. "For what does it profit a man to gain the world, but lose his soul?". Racist towns have been around forever, it seems, b/c so has bigotry & hate. Today, this toxic mindset is being promoted in certain sectors, as a way to continue controlling the masses. Give people a hall-pass to proudly be their Worst selves, and you can get them to do damn near Anything. Having scapegoats is preferred by those who are incapable of deeper thought... the kind needed to find humane solutions to life's troubles. So, Nazis are once again ascending (but are called "very good people" by a longtime Hitler fan, as they march across a once-peaceful town carrying torches). Things like Fairness & Kindness are ridiculed as "woke" by a guy trying to scuttle his state's largest employer. Will Floridians suffer w/o the wages & tourist $$s they've long enjoyed, if the Mouse moves elsewhere? Do we really think Ron cares, or has even thought that far ahead? Kids get their faces blown off in class, and None of us are safe anywhere in public anymore, even at church. Yet fearful, ignorant people remain focused on banning books, or on who gets to use which restroom. They won't allow gun-safety measures b/c they've been fed endless lies by the gang who profits Hugely from lying (the NRA). We, as a nation, have been tricked into fighting a culture war to prevent us from fighting a class war. But even fooled people wake up, eventually, when the pain becomes intolerable. Any deposed dictator would agree w/ that statement, if they were still breathing & able to speak. Will the Former USA (well, we sure as 💩 are Not "United" anymore, as planned) be able to reverse these trends before the streets once again run red to cries of "Eat the Rich!"? We shall see. I hope our leaders, on both sides of the aisle, come to realize the foolishness of this vast corruption. Esp if they believe in God as much as they claim. A well-educated nation is better able to compete in the world. People who can afford to purchase things like homes, food, clothing & shelter drive a healthy economy far more than a bunch of rich a-holes w/ tons of cash locked away in an offshore bank. To lift kids out of poverty, don't fund schools based on the taxes of the local economy, but on a set amount spent *per child*, across the nation. If rich people want private schools instead, they can pay for them Without using the tax $$$ that used to pay for safety nets for the most destitute. Don't like homelessness? Stop supporting the corrupt system that has allowed it to explode. Fight it w/ decency & Fairness instead. Real Christians also realize that doing so was basically JC's main message. Greedy pr*cks won't get past those pearly gates. Folks w/ hate-filled hearts likely won't fare any better. Being kind & Fair are the requirements to enter Paradise. The wealthiest people may lack the skillset needed in Heaven...esp compassion for others. Those who blame others for being victimized by such corruption need to take a good, long look in the mirror. If they won't, it may be b/c they know, deep down, that they won't like what they see.

I live in Joliet Illinois and didn’t even know southern Illinois was like this. I feel dumb

@novapier7260

2 жыл бұрын

I’m in Illinois too, near the city. I went to the bar and there were proud boys there, it’s not just in the south.

@kristineheatherly5303

2 жыл бұрын

Its not like everyone is saying Its definitely not a ghetto. No gangs. Or riots.Just good country folk not looking for trouble Why is that so wrong? I do y go to areas were I do y fit on. So why can't prove live like they want. There not out victimizing people.

@kristineheatherly5303

2 жыл бұрын

Why be upset with people Just being who they are. O have to much to worry about in my own life. I do have time look for fault.

@JeepWrangler1957

2 жыл бұрын

@@novapier7260 and it’s not just white areas. There are areas where white people should not be found.

@kristineheatherly5303

2 жыл бұрын

Your not dumb. Just want you to know that some people want people and the world should live.think.breath.smell look for dirt. That is what the left democratic party is looking for. They want to be victims and people that don't think as they do ate victimizers.

I hope and Ef 5 tornado larger than the city hits it

@BigSoulja69

3 жыл бұрын

Hell yea

@squaw618

3 жыл бұрын

@@BigSoulja69 .......NO H8

@squaw618

3 жыл бұрын

@Daily .......NO H8

@daily6421

3 жыл бұрын

@Maggot "Shallow minded"

@ChrisGoldie

3 жыл бұрын

@Maggot ill deal with not having clean hands if it meant my future kids didnt have to deal wit racism tbh

I remember being in this town late one night helping a friend who’s car stopped coming from Cape we were so terrified

@user-li6dc3lu5z

12 күн бұрын

Did anything happen, or did locals help you?

Also the Wabash River flows the borders of Indiana and Illinois easterly from Terre Haute down into the Ohio River where Indiana meets Kentucky south of Mt. Vernon, IN. at Union Dam

Have a good friend who’s Grandfather was born and raised in Anna and the stories are 100% true. Her Grandparents didnt like me too much when I came around me being of Mexican descent but after a while they loosened up. Unfortunately its just the way some people are raised.

@SaHayes-it2uw

Жыл бұрын

It’s also ungodly. There are a lot of folks I fear for who think they are Christian but are not.

I live in Chicago, and I’ve never heard of Anna Illinois until today , very interesting subject

Its 2022 and the fact that places like this still exist is astonishing

@yeehaw3792

Жыл бұрын

Pfft look who's doing the killing in the US. It ain't in the sundown towns.

@stewartfm2319

Жыл бұрын

Not really. This is the usa

@davidballard5841

Жыл бұрын

And very necessary

@stewartfm2319

Жыл бұрын

@@davidballard5841 wow! Smh Caucasians are allergic to the Sun! And u feel that way?

@djwhat5

Жыл бұрын

@@davidballard5841 How is it very necessary?

My mom,siblings & myself (Chris G.) moved here in 1986 from Chicago for a better life than gang violence & drugs on our block in Chicago. I live in Union County/Anna- Jonesboro until fall of 1994. It wasn’t easy growing up for me as being a young man (my nationality is native Alaskan, black foot Cherokee, Irish ) My 1st job was at Kroger store bagging groceries & rounding up carts 🛒. I did experience some bad things towards me throughout years but for most parts back then I enjoyed Small Town & it taught me that not everyone will be kind in the world. That was before I joined the US Navy in 1995

instead of changing names and forgetting history, maybe we should be proud that things have changed and are not like they used to be....to forget history is to repeat it!

@taymangaming

Жыл бұрын

Have they changed? Sundown towns still exist in 2022. Let that sink in.

@librasquad9782

Жыл бұрын

@@taymangaming it jus saying it is racist without saying tho..... Don't fall for that b.s

@ironknightgaming5706

10 ай бұрын

@@taymangaming Livonia Mi is still a sun down town.

Superb information and video you made, I like, I'm watching frist time, love from India 🌹👌👏

I also like the music near the end of your video.

I learned about these sundown towns today in a company’s meeting

What is this piano piece I love this

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

By the ash tree by Slow Meadow

That scenery is amazing. Great lighting.

Seeing you drive makes me want to take a road trips. I drove to southern Illinois two years ago.

Columbia, Il. is also a sundown town and still has a siren that goes off everyday (or at least it did up until 7-8 years ago).

@danielboulton98

3 жыл бұрын

omg really

@722cupcakes

2 жыл бұрын

😪😪

@tammybrown4901

2 жыл бұрын

Omg Wth

@leo7leo

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe it’s worth checking that out. If the siren is still active, then it’s a matter of acting fast to defuse it. It’s 2022 fro crying out loud!!

@marcmo7138

Жыл бұрын

My hometown had a siren that went off every night at 10pm. It was for minors to go home. Also known as a curfew siren.

Back in the 1960's up until about 1970 or so, the city of Glendale CA. had signs on the freeway offramps and on major streets that read: "All Negroes and Mexicans must be outside of the city limits of Glendale by sunset. Anyone found after that will be subject to arrest". Then they gave the city ordinance number followed by the names of the mayor and chief of police. I asked my Mom about that back in '67 or thereabouts, and she explained to me what it meant. Then in about 1970 the signs came down, as they were unenforceable. Now you go to Glendale and it's a mix of all races and colors, which is as it should be. Glad to have found your channel Chris. The old racist mentalities died hard in this country.

@patriciachamberlain1135

Жыл бұрын

Not totally gone yet. Therefore we get a trump mentality voting still. Angry the laws have changed, determined to " make merrikka great AGAIN?". HMMMM. For WHO?

@glennoropeza3545

Жыл бұрын

That's crazy! Glad I don't live there!

@nelsonmcatee3721

Жыл бұрын

It was like that in Pasadena too.

@adnsmusic3842

7 ай бұрын

They don’t die

Great presentation format and music selection for broaching a challenging topic

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

How sad, 40 yrs in SI and I had never heard this. Plenty of other towns in the region but had no idea about Anna.

I just found this video. It's September 24th 2022. I was raised in southern Illinois. The house that we lived in , most of my life , was the oldest house in the town. My father remodeled the house , and found a tunnel under our house. It was a big part of the Underground Railroad. We were told not to talk about it to anyone. The old man that my father spoke to that helped in building the house and tunnel, gave my father strict orders to stay out of the tunnel. My father was a policeman in the town. My father questioned that old man until all that man would say is,"it's better to let sleeping dogs lye ".

@TOOL_MARKS

Жыл бұрын

THANK you for posting and sharing this. This is an important part of American History, and 'American growing up'.

@jtozuna

Жыл бұрын

Wow. Did you go down to the tunnel? You have a very interesting story

@juliewaughop2664

Жыл бұрын

@@jtozuna when my Dad removed the coal burning furnace, he found the entrance to the tunnel. He didn't know how safe it was, so he put a bright flashlight down there and a mirror , to look how far it went out.

I'm happy to view these driving videos during the $5/gal gas price times!

@kerstinlampert7337

Жыл бұрын

P.S. I left Illinois over 20 years ago due to the high cost of staying during retirement....

@marcmo7138

Жыл бұрын

Did you notice the price of gas in the video? about half as much a gallon as it is now.

@BoostedDeere

Жыл бұрын

Everytime I was coming east I got gas in Iowa I just drove through illinois never slowed down until I hit Indiana. Got gas in Indiana. The amount fuel is in illinois they should pave EVERY road EVERY year. The amount of crooked deals in illinois is insane. So I always try not to stop/ do business there.

I was in Springfield, Ill which is the capital of Illinois for work for about 3 weeks and man the taxes there was no joke. I like the area some nice trees, and very greenery. Lots of farm lands near by.

@henrycain8249

Жыл бұрын

Ahhh! So that's what this was about.....SPRINGFIELD 🤫🤫🤫🤫

If this is in Illinois, I didn't see any big ass potholes. Lol

@youbigdummy4866

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly!

@packisbetter90

2 жыл бұрын

Their roads are actually ok. Compared to here in Indiana and where I'm from originally in Michigan those 2 states by far have worst roads

@TeSyNash

2 жыл бұрын

I live in anna and drive those same backroads often, the pot holes aren’t too bad but there are some awful riding roads

@ItsStillShel

2 жыл бұрын

Oh goodness, there there. Usually on 127 heating out of Jonesboro. 😂

Love the shot of downtown Kalamazoo in your intro! I lived there for the first 18 years of my life

I hope you come to Minnesota soon:)

@ChrisHarden

3 жыл бұрын

One day I’ll be able to!

@bcstechnologylimited896

2 жыл бұрын

@@ChrisHarden: ...and when you get there, you'll get a healthy dose of racism, you being a white boy.

I lived in Carbondale and Murphusboro for 15years and frequently visited Anna-jonesboro for both work and vet visits. Iv literally never heard about any of this stuff. This video was a very big surprise.

I've visited Marion in Williamson County as well as Anna while hunting Deer. The story I was told about the area being called Little Egypt involves the region's supplying grain to northern and central Illinois during an 1800s famine. I believe there was also a Lincoln/Douglas debate held in Jonesboro before the 1860 election.

It’s true about Anna . I lived in Cairo. Racism was the area’s demise!

Shew! You took the long way around to Jonesboro. Great videos.

@jasonmathieu4850

3 жыл бұрын

Is it bad to assume that most of the south racist?

@tennesseegregario7253

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasonmathieu4850 These days I think you find more racism in the northern states. It's been my experience that different races coexist pretty well in the south.

@aubreyyoung4610

3 жыл бұрын

@@jasonmathieu4850 That's a great assumption, but to add to it, the entire country is racist. It's just more polite and underneath the surface in the North.

Thank you, dude for speaking the truth.

@rathert3

3 жыл бұрын

Yes. Thank you for being honest and speaking the truth. I live near Anna and it is notorious.

@xnosmokenoknivesx

3 жыл бұрын

@Maggot - Found the KKK apologist

12pk of Mountain Dew? Instant subscribed

I'm from the Chicago area... a friend of ours convinced us to move down there near the lake. We lived in Benton, and I made a friend from a town called Colpe. It'd just outside of Herrin which isn't far from Anna... he was a young black man and explained the racial history of the area and how African Americans built Colpe in response to not being able to get housing or buy homes in Herrin or "in town". Colpe is just about the size of a small subdivision. I only lasted down there about 2 years. Had a black roommate and experienced a lot of racist activity. I had to call the police once because a group of grown men were trying to mess with these young boys then tried to make it seem like the boys were being aggressive and had a knife... I genuinely feared for the kids. I walked them down the beach road and called the police for them. I couldn't deal. Moved back.

@ChrisHarden

Жыл бұрын

I couldn’t live in that type of culture ever

@kens2328

6 ай бұрын

It’s spelled “Colp”.

@edwardfletcher8158

4 ай бұрын

needless to say I was raised in Colp , Illinois in the mid 80s and there was something different about the place not seeing many Caucasians around until I got to Herrin, Illinois to school. It was very segregated back then .

I marched in the Anna protest. I live in the next city over in Carbondale. This video covered our cause in Anna’s history very well and I’m very glad to see this video presented in such a professional manner. 👏

@justchilling704

2 жыл бұрын

Tf is a northern state doing being that racist anyway tf smh.

@cherrysmart3500

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support Nate;!

@l0v3lyniaa

2 жыл бұрын

W nate

@1DannyOcean

2 жыл бұрын

So you're a confederate?

@Donnie-sg2cj

2 жыл бұрын

@@justchilling704 Most sundown towns were located in the northern states.

Bro that intro music was sick!