Origin of Segregation

Segregation Desire: How Does It Arise?

By Charles L. Allen

Atlanta Constitution

(December 21, 1956)

During the past months almost 1,000 letters have come to me in regard to segregation and integration of the white and Negro races. I read these letters with the following questions in my mind: Why do some white people insist on segregation? Why do dome Negroes insist on integration? It is difficult even to discuss so controversial a subject without generating more heat than light but the question of "why" is one that interests me.

Here I would like to put down some answers without injecting my own personal feelings or drawing conclusions as to what should be or should not be. This discussion will cover five columns the remainder of this week so hold on until you have read them all.

In regard to why some white people insist on segregation, I find from my own correspondence and observation eight main reasons:

            (1) The economic factor. Many white people fear Negroes will compete successfully for their jobs and take away their means of livelihood. This fear is not limited to industrial workers, to day laborers and to various types of physical labor, but to some extent you see it in the various professions, white-collar workers, politicians and others.

            (2) In certain areas where the Negro population exceeds the white race, there is a fear that the Negroes will gain control of the local governments and elect the sheriff and other officers. Some white people feel that should that happen, it would be intolerable for them to continue living there, thus they would lose their homes, farms, businesses and be ruined financially.

            (3) Some white people feel it essential to keep the Negroes as a servant in order to have farm labor, domestic help and to fill many menial jobs. However, with the increase in labor-saving machinery, this reason rapidly is becoming a minor one. Though there are many servant-type jobs to be done, many realize these need not be limited to any particular race of people.

            (4) Some of the letters I have received from white people indicate clearly an inferiority complex on the part of the writer. There are many people who, frustrated in their own lives, find satisfaction in having a race of people they can look down upon. It gives to them a certain degree of self-esteem and importance.

            (5) Resistance to change in custom. Some have no deep feelings on the subject except they just naturally are opposed to change. They have grown up with the social custom of segregation. There are many who resist any sort of social change. They are satisfied with things as they are.

But these are not the main reasons why some insist on maintaining segregation. Three other reasons we shall put down tomorrow.

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posted 22 June 2008