During the American Civil War (1861–1865), southern Illinois was under martial law. In the years after Reconstruction, many laws were established to ensure the second-class status of African Americans. Many actions, however, were de facto laws. From 1890 to 1968, many sundown towns were established throughout the United States, including several in southern Illinois. Pinckneyville, on the other hand, was one amongst thousands of towns that, while established earlier, became a sundown town. Pinckneyville became sundown around 1928; the extant story in Pinckneyville is that a white woman was raped by a black man, so the white leadership of the town loaded the black population of the town on a bus, drove them out of town, and left them in East St. Louis; a black man, probably the alleged rapist, was lynched at the town square. However, the rape explanation is considered to be unreliable because of the vagueness of the story and because it conflicts with accounts offered by others who lived in Pinckneyville at the time. The town continued to be a sundown town; the town had a "hanging tree", though African Americans were hanged in at least three separate places; under the city limits sign, there was a sign saying "No Coloreds After Dark" that came down in the late 1960s or early 1970s. In the town cemetery's black section, there are only two grave markers, yet it is estimated that there are approximately twenty graves.
During the American Civil War (1861–1865) southern Illinois was under martial law In the years after Reconstruction many laws were established to ensure the second-class status of African Americans Many actions however were de facto laws From 1890 to 1968 many sundown towns were established throughout the United States including several in southern Illinois Pinckneyville on the other hand was one amongst thousands of towns that while established earlier became a sundown town Pinckneyville became sundown around 1928; the extant story in Pinckneyville is that a white woman was raped by a black man so the white leadership of the town loaded the black population of the town on a bus drove them out of town and left them in East St Louis; a black man probably the alleged rapist was lynched at the town square However the rape explanation is considered to be unreliable because of the vagueness of the story and because it conflicts with accounts offered by others who lived in Pinckneyville at the time The town continued to be a sundown town; the town had a "hanging tree" though African Americans were hanged in at least three separate places; under the city limits sign there was a sign saying "No Coloreds After Dark" that came down in the late 1960s or early 1970s In the town cemetery's black section there are only two grave markers yet it is estimated that there are approximately twenty graves