Effects of Sudden Mass School Desegregation on Interracial Interaction and Attitudes in One Southern City

The extent to which blacks and whites interacted socially on school grounds and their attitudes toward each other were ascertained across time during the first semester of an integration program in three southern secondary schools. Interracial interactions remained sparse throughout the semester and over time showed no increases approaching significance though attitudes did become more tolerant. Several effects on both variables related to race, sex, and grade level are reported.