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Civil rights and race relations materials, 1957-1964

What You Can Do About Racial Prejudice In Housing Page 8

Private housing in outlying neighborhoods and suburbs has also been affected as Negroes have sought to enter areas previously closed to them. Often there have been violent reactions--mobs, controversy, "block-busting"--and nice neighborhoods that should have become nicer have been gutted by the consequences of unreasoning fear and panic.
As a result, there has been a stronger drawing of the battle lines of prejudice. People for whom the question has always been no more than academic now find themselves immediately and personally involved. Many are unable to cope with it on the basis of the remote morality which has always served them in the past.
Today there is good evidence that desegregated housing is a trend that is gathering strength at all levels in our society. But there is a great need for facts, for further leadership, and for action that will help smooth the transition and remove it from the arena of public controversy. When Negro families have become common in most neighborhoods, when more state and local governments have made integrated housing a part of basic law, the issue of segregation will lose much of its emotional and fearful content.
But because of the peculiar nature of prejudice, so different from the usual attitudes people hold about many things, much work remains to be done.
THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF PREJUDICE
No one is born with prejudice towards others. Little white children don't think they are better than little Negro children until they are taught so by their parents.
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Private housing in outlying neighborhoods and suburbs has also been affected as Negroes have sought to enter areas previously closed to them. Often there have been violent reactions--mobs, controversy, "block-busting"--and nice neighborhoods that should have become nicer have been gutted by the consequences of unreasoning fear and panic. As a result, there has been a stronger drawing of the battle lines of prejudice. People for whom the question has always been no more than academic now find themselves immediately and personally involved. Many are unable to cope with it on the basis of the remote morality which has always served them in the past. Today there is good evidence that desegregated housing is a trend that is gathering strength at all levels in our society. But there is a great need for facts, for further leadership, and for action that will help smooth the transition and remove it from the arena of public controversy. When Negro families have become common in most neighborhoods, when more state and local governments have made integrated housing a part of basic law, the issue of segregation will lose much of its emotional and fearful content. But because of the peculiar nature of prejudice, so different from the usual attitudes people hold about many things, much work remains to be done. THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF PREJUDICE No one is born with prejudice towards others. Little white children don't think they are better than little Negro children until they are taught so by their parents. 8