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NEARER EQUALITY FOR THE NEGRO
THE UNITED STATES Supreme Court has unanimously
declared that racial segregation in American schools is in viola-
tion of the Constitution. The decision is probably the greatest
single political gain of American negroes since their emancipa-
tion from slavery after the Cival WE, find its application
within beyond the abolition of separate schools for whites and
negroes as exists in 17 States.
After the emancipation of the negroes, an amendment of the
United States Constitution extended the franchise to negroes,.
but some of the southern States lessened this effect through
the imposition of property and educational qualifications for
voters. Political discrimination against negroes does not extend
to all States, and in the north negroes have been legislators,
aldermen and magistrates, particularly in the cities of New
York, Chicago and Washington. In some of the southern
States, after the Civil War, free education supported by taxa-
tion was established for all, but after a period in which whites
and negroes attended the same schools, a dual set of schools,
came into being in 17 States, As taxation increased, there was
a tendency to reduce expenditure on negro schools and recently
in the States in which segregation existed, more than three
times the average amount spent on negro children in their
schools was spent from State funds on whites. There is,
however, no discrimination in national expenditures in education.
Despite the effects of segregation, there has been a marked
reduction of negro illiteracy. in the period from 1865 to 1935,
it was reduced from 95 to 15 per cent., but the percentage of
negro children enrolled in southern schools was markedly below
that of whites. The over-all effect of segregation on American
negroes has been lessened in the last 40 years as negro population
has moved from the south into the industrial areas of
the north.
The abolition of segregation is likely to have far-reaching
effects In the southern n States where it has existed. Equality with
whites will reduce illiteracy, and with the reduction of illiteracy, .
higher health standards may be enjoyed, the negro expectation
of life having hitherto been much less than that of white
population.
In a country like Australia, which is apt to be accused
by other countries of practising colour discrimination, it is
difficult to comprehend the survival of a racial prejudice in some
parts of the United States, but it would be incorrect to assume
that this represents a typical American attitude. Although the
percentage of negroes has been declining in the population of
the United States for many decades, and is less than 10 per
cent, of the total, Americans regard the negro more as a part
of American life than as a problem. Recent trends have been
to break down old prejudices and the abolition of segregation in
all Am . can schools is bound to accelerate this process. H
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