Trends in While Aniludes loward NegrOeS LIB R AR Y ENTER NlON RESEARCH C NATIONAL - ChlC2g. 0 \.niver&itv of F\LE copy Report No. 119 Mildred A. SChwartz NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER. THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO The research reported herein was supported by National Science Foundation Grant GS 498 to the National Opinion Research Center Copyright 1967 by the National Opinion Research Center Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 67-17809 All rights reserved. Published by the National Opinion Research Center, The University of Chicago Designed by Bonnie McKeon Cover photo by John C. Goodwin Printed in the United States of America ACKNOWLEDGMNTS Data for this report were provided by the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Williamstown, Massachusetts , and the National Opinion Research Center Chicago. I wish to thank Dr. Philip Hastings at the former organization and Patrick Bova at the latter for directing me to sources and quickly providing me with materials. Computer programing was done by Robert Cody, and general research assistance was provided by Lawrence Lesoff. Mr. Lesoff I s work was especially appreciated in making up all of the tables. I wish to thank Bonnie McKeon for editing the manuscript , and Nella Siefert and Toshi Takahashi for its preparation. I am indebted to several of my former colleagues for many helpful suggestions. These include Peter Rossi , Paul Sheatsley, Seymour Sudman , Robert W. Hodge Joe L. Spaeth , and Norman Bradburn. Doctors Sudman and Spaeth were particularly generous with assistance and suggestions regarding the presentation of data. iii . .. .. .. .. ................ .. ... ... ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ..... ... ... .. .. ... .. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMNTS iii LIST OF TABLES. vii LIST OF CHARTS. Chapter TRENDS IN WHITE ATTITUDES TOWARD NEGROES. Introduction Selection of Issues Presentation of Data The Salience of Civil Rights Issues An Overview of Trends II. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE EDUCATION OF NEGROES Negro Intelligence The Desirability of Integrated Education With All Deliberate Speed The Supreme Court and the Impact of Events Would You Want Your Own Children Sumary III. HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES Recognition of Need Acceptability of Negro Neighbors Responses to Negro Neighbors Sumary IV. VIEWS OF DISCRIMINATION IN OTHER AREAS Job Opportunities Public Transportation Other Public Services Sumary AN EVALUATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE ...... The Civil Rights Movement Future Prospects Sumary VI. THE CONTINUITY OF SOCIAL CLEAVAGES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD NEGROES. 113 The Present Situation The Cumulative Nature of Change The Effects of Education Limits on Change APPENDIX 131 . ............................ .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .... .... ... .... .. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1.1 Negroes 1 Evaluation of Rights Most Important To Be Worked for Now 1.2 Negroes I Evaluation of Rights Wanted by Almost All Negroes. 11.1 Negro and White Children Should Go To the Same Schools 11.2 Per Cent in Favor of Imediate School Integration 11.3 Attitudes1956-1958 toward the Speed of Integration , by Region and Education 11.4 Attitudes toward Issues of School Integration , by Region and Edu- cation II. Differences between Per Cents Favoring Eventual Integration and Approving of Supreme court Decision II. A Chronology of Civil Rights Events and Trends in Per Cent Approving of Supreme Court Decision on School Desegregation. 11. 7 White Parents with No Objection to Their Own Children Attending School with Negro Children , Depending on the Number of Negroes in the School III. Opinions of Whether Anything Should Be Done To Improve Negro Housing III. Opinions of Whether Whites Have a Right To Keep Negroes Out of Their Neighborhood. III. 3 HaveAs You Yourself You? Ever Had a Negro Family Living on the Same Block IV. ?er Cent Who Think Negroes Do Not Have Same Opportunities As White People. IV. Per Cent Agreeing That Negroes Should Have Right to Integrated Public Services , 1944-1965, by Education and Region IV. PerPeople. Cent Who Would Eat .in Restaurant Serving Both Negro and White IV. 4 Per Cent Who Would Have No Objection to Family Member Bringing Negro Home to Dinner. l Per Cent of White Respondents Very Interested in the Question of Negro-White Relations Changes in Attitudes toward Racial Integration in Recent Years. Goals of the Negro Civil Rights Movement. Opinions of How Much Negro Rights Groups Are Asking For 5 Feelings about Rights Movement in Different Types of Comunities. 6 Persons or Groups behind Recent Negro Civil Rights Actions. 7 Opinions of Eight Kational Organizations. Sympathy with Actions of Negro Civil Rights Movement 9 Do . Demonstrations Help or Hurt Negroes ' Cause? . vii . .. .. .. .. .. .. viii LIST OF TABLES--Continued Table Page Per Cent Disapproving of Recent Civil Rights Activities in Different Types of Communities. 100 Per Cent Who Feel Administration Is Pushing Integration Too Fast. 102 Expectations of Race Riots in Sumer of 1965 . 104 Expectations of Racial Trouble in Own Community 105 Assessment of Negro-White Relations as Continuing Problem for the United States . 0 0 0 . 0 105 Per Cent Southerners Believing That Integration in Schools Restaurants , and Public Accommodations Will Eventually Come to the South . 0 . 0 . 0 . 109 V1.l Approximate Year in Whch 90 Per Cent of the White Population Can Be Expected To Hold Opinions Favorable to Negroes and Negro Rights. 0 . 117 V1.2 School Attainment of the White Population , Twenty-Five Years of Age and Older , for the United States and Regions, 1950- 1960 125 Appendix Tables Per Cent Thinking Negroes Are as Intelligent as Whites. 0 . 0 . 131 Per Cent Thinking White and Negro Students Should Go to the Same Schools . 0 . 0 131 Per Cent Approving of the Supreme Court Ruling That Racial Segregation in the Public Schools Is Illegal. 0 . 0 132 Per Cent Not Objecting To Sending Their Children to a School Where the Majority of Students Are Negro 0 . 132 Per Cent Saying It Would Make No Difference if a Negro with the Same Education and Income Moved into Their Block 132 Per Cent Who Would Not Move if Colored People Came To Live Next Door . 0 . 0 . 0 133 Per Cent Who Would Not Move if Colored People Came To Live in in Great Numbers in Their Neighborhood 0 . 0 133 Per Cent Thinking Negroes Should Have as Good a Chance as Whites To Get. Any Kind of Job. 0 . 133 Per Cent Feeling There Should Not Be Separate Sections for Negroes in Street Cars and Buses. 134 Per Cent Expecting the Day When Negroes and Whites in the South Will Be Sharing the Same Public Accomodations. 134 . .. .. .. .. .'. .. ... ... .. ... .... ... .... ... LIST OF CHARTS Chart Page 11.1 Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Believing Negroes Are As Intelligent As Whites , 1942-1963 II. Least Squares Linear Trend Lines in Per Cent Believing Negroes Are As Intelligent As Whites, 1944-1963 11.3 Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Agreeing Negroes Should Go to the Same Schools As Whites , 1942-1965 11.4 Least Squares Linear Trend Lines in Per Cent Agreeing Negroes Should Go to the Same Schools As Whites, 1956-1965 11. 5 Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Approving of Supreme Court Decision on School Desegregation , 1954-1961 II. Per Cent Approving of Supreme Court Decision Ruling School Segre- gation Illegal II. 7 Least Squares Trend Line in Per Cent with No Objection to Sending Own Children to a School with a Majority of Negroes , 1954-1963 II. Least Squares Trend Lines in Per Cent with No Objection to Sending Own Children to a School with a Majority of Negroes , 1954-1963 III. 1 Least Squares Trend Line in Per Cent Who Would Not Mind if Negro with Same Income and Education Moved on Same Block , 1942-1965 III. 2 Least Squares Trend Lines in Per Cent Who Would Not Mind if Negro with Same Education and Income Moved on Same Block , 1956-1965 III. 3 Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Saying They Would Not Move if Colored People Moved Next Door , 1958-1965 III. Per Cent Saying They Would Not Move if Colored People Came To Live Next Door , 1958-1963 II1. 5 Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Saying They Would Not Move if Colored People Came To Live in Great Numbers in Neighbor- hood , 1958-1965 III. Per Cent Saying They Would Not Move if Colored People Came To Live in Great Numbers in Neighborhood , 1958-1963 IV. Least Squares Trend Line in Per Cent Saying That Negroes Should Have As Good a Chance as White People To Get Any Kind of Job , 1944-1963 IV. Least Squares Trend Lines in Per Cent Sayin That Negroes Should Have As Good a Chance as White People To Get Any Kind of Job , 1944-1963 IV. Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Saying There Should Not Be Separate Sections for Negroes in Street Cars and Buses, 1942-1963 . IV. Least Squares Linear Trend Lines in Per Cent Saying There Should Not Be Separate Sections for Negroes in Street Cars and Buses 1956-1963 . Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Feeling That the Situ- ation in the South between the Races Wilt Get Better in Coming Year , 1957-1964 . 107 . .. LIST OF CHARTS--Continued Chart Page Least Squares Linear Trend Line in Per Cent Expecting That Day Will Come in the South When Whites and Negroes Will Be , . Sharing the Same Public Accommodations , 1957-1963 108 Per Cent Who Feel That Day Will Come in the South When Whites and Negroes Will Be . '. Sharing the Same Public Accomodations, 1955-1963 110 ), CHAPTER I TREDS IN WHITE ATTITUDES TOWARD NEGROES Introduction The past twenty years have witnessed great changes in the extension and guarantee of rights and opportunities to Negro Americans, While much remains to be done to ensure that Negroes obtain both equal rights and the opportunities for enjoying them , there is little question that progress has been made since World War II.