by Brenda Bowers

Created on: May 04, 2008   Last Updated: March 02, 2010

We In the United States need a new set of rules to govern how we deal with racism. Most Blacks believe the civil rights struggle is not over and there is far to go in race relations. The majority of Whites on the other hand feel all has been done that can be done legally to insure equal opportunities and Blacks are being too sensitive and seeing racism where none is intended. The truth, as in all things, lies somewhere between the two extremes.

To change an attitude or a behavior we need a plan to talk sanely about racism. We need first to point to an action or behavior and say, "That is racist!" In the early civil rights struggle it was easy to define racism. This was especially so in the south eastern states where Blacks were excluded from just about every public facility. Most service businesses had a Whites Only designation. If Blacks were allowed to enter they had a certain area where they could make purchases or conduct business, but certainly were expected not to linger beyond the minimum time needed. There were even separate Black and White restrooms and water fountains. Blacks had their own usually inferior school because White school boards saw no need to spend money on them. Blacks in many areas were denied the right to vote under one rouse or another since legally they had the right to vote. There were Black areas of town and White areas of town. Discrimination was easily apparent by the conditions of the streets and the lack of availability of other utilities to the area. These blatant racial activities have been removed in most cases and if not removed then there are laws governing their removal when they become apparent and are reported. The penalties for breaking these laws are stringent.

In the rest of the country, the racism wasn't as overt but still there. This more often took the form of job availability and discrimination. Blacks were most often to be found in the services and housekeeping. Schools were integrated, but children all went to the nearest neighborhood school allowing a tacit segregation. Just as in theory Blacks had the right to live anywhere they chose there was a tacit agreement that Blacks and Whites keep to their own neighborhoods. This attitude prevailed in the middle and upper classes, but in the lower classes Blacks and Whites often mingled due to economics rather than choice in most cases. And, unfortunately there was the tacit understanding that a Black person may very well be your friend or co-worker, but the Black

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