Profile in black and white

The author examines race relations in a Deep South state, documenting entrenched segregation, widespread resistance to school desegregation, and the social and political mechanisms that sustain white supremacy. Drawing on public statements, newspaper editorials, and institutional behavior, the work traces how leaders, organizations, and popular opinion construct legal and rhetorical defenses of segregation while African Americans press orderly claims for equal rights. It analyzes historical causes, explores tensions between conscience and coercion, and argues that gradual reform, courageous leadership, and public candor are necessary for resolving the crisis.