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James W. Loewen (1942-2021)

We mourn the loss of our friend and colleague and remain committed to the work he began.

Ridgewood

New Jersey

Basic Information

Type of Place
Independent City or Town
Metro Area
Politics c. 1860?
Don’t Know
Unions, Organized Labor?
Don’t Know

Sundown Town Status

Sundown Town in the Past?
Possible
Was there an ordinance?
Don't Know
Sign?
Perhaps, Some Oral Evidence
Year of Greatest Interest
Still Sundown?
Probably Not, Although Still Very Few Black People

Census Information

The available census data from 1860 to the present
Total White Black Asian Native Hispanic Other BHshld
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000 24936 21899 409 2162 11 942
2010
2020

Method of Exclusion

  • Unknown

Main Ethnic Group(s)

  • Unknown

Group(s) Excluded

  • Jewish
  • Unknown

Comments

Ridgewood is one of New Jersey’s many boroughs, a municipality unique to the state.

A New Jersey resident says the borough was all white when he was growing up.

June 2002
A Former Paterson Resident wrote:

“I remember there was a banner hung over the main entrance to the town. It said, “Ridgewood is a restricted community.” I didn’t know what that meant, so I asked.

Never really got an answer that was based on knowledge but it was suggested to be town that kept Jews out It was up until the mid 1950s as I remember.”

July 2007
One source says that “down to the 1950’s, the suburb of Ridgewood, NJ, in northern Bergen County, had a sign on the road into town which read

“This is a homogeneous community.”

There has historically been an African American conclave in the town; the sign meant that Jews were not welcome.”