The desegregation of an entire community was somewhat of a social experiment. It was referred to as "River City" and remained anonymous throughout the Civil Rights Era, but in all reality the community was Greenville Mississippi. Greenville was chosen for its unique diversity (White, Black, Chinese, Jewish and Middle-Eastern folks) and tolerance among the various ethnicities. It was also chosen for it's location, the deep south infamous for extreme racism. The experiment was organized, poorly, by a survey by the national government called The Coleman Report. Unfortunately the report was disorganized and notes were not maintained so the results of the experiment in desegregation are unknown.
Here's what we do know, the schools of Greenville were completely desegregated. Black students and white students attended schools together and harmoniously, even the private schools opened their doors to diversity. The staff integrated together as well, in some instances white teachers answered to a black principal which was a dramatic change for the people of the deep south. Greenville and it's people continued to co-exist peacefully for years.
Unfortunately, statistics now show what some call de-evolution of society. Neighborhoods and schools are more segregated than they have been in decades. The economic statuses and quality of public education are greater in the white-majority neighborhoods. "River City" is taking steps backwards.
