Illinois

And a black friend of mine moved south from Mattoon to Effingham when he got a new job. He quit the job and came back three months later. He claimed that there is a "line" just above Neoga that black people should never cross. There was an online map of racist tweets posted a while back that showed a super hot spot centered on Neoga. I also remember the many "sundown towns" in my area when there were actually signs posted warning black folk to "not let the sun set on you in this town". Some local churches still preach of the "mud people" and "the Mark of Cain" (dark skin).

Oddly enough, since Illinois was a Union state, there are tons of rebel Confederate flags flying around my area. In my high school American history class, we were taught that the Civil War had nothing to do with slavery, but was an act of Northern oppression against southern states.

I know redneck does not mean racist, but you don't have to scratch most rednecks very deep to get a racist comment. It is how they were raised and taught.