Was desegregation what changed the race issue or was it just a push?

You can't really change racism by segregation or desegregation (or by affirmative action, for that matter). Racism is a heartfelt belief, as are other points of view.

I think what has changed racism in the US is television and radio (in other words, greater awareness). There were some pushers, like the Rosa Parks/Metger Evers and such, but if their stories weren't told, they would have just been shoved to the sidelines and forgotten.

Of course desegregation marked a major turning point in race relations in this country. I served in a segregated U.S Army during WWII and I remember on a troop train going from Fort Dix, New jersey to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When we crossed the Mason Dixon line, black troops were forced to move to segregated cars. When Harry Truman de-segregated the Armed Forces, soldiers were obliged to serve together live together, and fight and die together. When that happens you develop friendships, depend on one another, etc. Obviously that forces people with racial prejudices to question their beliefs and to overcome the ones that can't stand the light of day. By the same token de-segregation of the schools enabled white children and children of color to associate, to learn, and to gradually overcome some of the bigotry they had been taught by their elders, because racism is illogical and stupid. It does not come naturally, and if it can be learned so can tolerance!!

wow, I agree with Frankvan.

Clearly the proactive move to outlaw segregation was a major turning point in race relations in our country. It's seems odd now that such things even needed to be outlawed.

An interesting point that many people don't understand. While Government action was crucial to breaking the evils of segregation; Government was also a part of the making of segregation.

Few people realize that privately owned bus companies strongly objected to laws that required Blacks to be seated in the back. They respected their Black customers, and resisted efforts to treat them poorly. These laws got passed to a large degree due to the very vocal and visible actions of a zealous minority.

It seems almost universal that hate and prejudice can only be propogated in a state of "group think." Groups will readily channel hatred and prejudice against other groups; but individuals, when left to their own devices, almost always find a way to get along. Accordingly, the outlawing of segregation was a major turning point.

Well said, Frank! Exposure is the answer--coming out of our own box and embracing the things that we have in common. And the more that we get to know each other, the more we do have in common.
Gezz, Frank, you said it much better.

Peace, Kelleygirl

On this it is interesting that surveys over the years in the UK showed that racist sentiment was most often found and was expressed most strongly not, as might be supposed, in areas where there were substantial numbers of black people but in places which were rural or otherwise historically untouched by immigration from the West Indies. Here were people who had rarely encountered coloured people in their everyday lives, if at all, and certainly not found them in their neighbourhood. This seems to bear out the opinion expressed here that encountering black or Asian people , particularly in schools and in the workplace, is a key factor in preventing or reducing prejudice. (This is far from saying that we do not have racism in towns. A senior policeman has acknowledged the existence of what is termed 'institutionalised racism' in one of our major urban police forces, for example).

A man from Ireland once got a job as a bus driver in the deep South. When he got on the bus he spoke to the passengers as they were about to get on the bus and said," On my bus, there is no colour bar. As far as I'm concerned you are all green. Now, if you don't mind, all the dark greens to the back and the light greens to the front."

(Sorry Fred! )