TRENDS IN WHITES’ RACIAL ATTITUDES

(Source: Schuman, Bobo, and Steeh, Racial Attitudes in America, 1988, 1997)

General Principles	Earlier	Later
Equal Jobs (NORC): “Do you think Negroes should have as good a chance as white people to get any kind of job, or do you think white people should have the first chance at any kind of job? % As good a chance	1944: 45%	1972: 97%
Residential Choice (ISR): Agree with which statement? Whites have a right to keep black people out of their neighborhoods if they want to, or, black people have a right to live wherever they can afford to, just like anybody else?’’ % Blacks have rights	1964: 65%	1976: 88%
Same Schoo1s (NORC): “Do you think white students and black students should go to the same schools or to separate schools?” % Same	1942: 32%	1982, 1995 90%, 96%
Segregated Transportation (NORC): “Generally speaking, do you think there should be separate sections for Negroes in streetcars and buses?” % No	1942: 46%	1970: 88%
Same Accommodations (NORC): Do you think Negroes should have the right to use the same parks, restaurants, and hotels as white people?” % Yes	1963: 73%	1970: 88%
Black Candidate (Gallup):’ There’s always much discussion about qualifications of presidential candidates--their education, age, race, religion, and the like-- if your party nominated a well-qualified man for president and he happened to be a black, would you vote for him if he were qualified for the job? % Yes	1958: 37%	1983, 1996 81%, 92%
Laws against Intermarriage (NORC): “Do you think there should be laws against marriages between blacks and whites?” % No	1963: 38%	1982, 1996 66%, 87%
Intermarriage (Gallup): “Do you approve or disapprove of marriage between whites and nonwhites? % Approve	1958: 4%	1983, 1997 40%, 67%
Genera1 Segregation (ISR): “Are you in favor of desegregation, strict segregation, or something in between?” % Something in between % Favor Desegregation	1964 48% 27%	1978: 60% 35%

Implementation Questions	Earlier	Later
Federal Job Intervention (ISR): Should the government in Washington see to it that black people get fair treatment in jobs or leave these matters to the states and local communities?” % Government should see to it	1964: 38%	1974, 1996 36%, 28%
Open Housing (NORC): “Suppose there is a community-wide vote on the general housing issue. There are two possible laws to vote on. One law says that a homeowner can decide for himself who to sell his house to, even if he prefers not to sell to blacks. The second law says that a homeowner cannot refuse to sell to someone because of their race or color. Which law would you vote for?” % Owner can’t refuse	1973: 34%	1983, 1996 46%, 67%
Federal School Intervention (ISR):- Do you think the government in Washington should see to it that white and black children are allowed to go to the same schools, or stay out of this matter as it is not its business?” % Government see to it	1964: 42%	1978, 1995 25% 25%
Busing (NORC): ·In general, do you favor or oppose the busing of black and white school children from one school district to another? % Favor	1972: 13%	1983, 1996 21% 33%
Accommodations Intervention (ISR): Should the government support the right of black people to go to any hotel or restaurant they can afford, or should it stay out of this matter? %Govt see to it	1964: 44%	1974, 1995 66% 56%
Spending on Blacks (NORC): Are we spending too much, too little, or about the right amount on improving the conditions of blacks?” % Too little	1973: 27%	1983: 26%
Aid to Minorities (ISR): “Some people feel that the government in Washington should make every possible effort to improve the social and economic position of blacks and other minority groups. Others feel that the government should not make any special effort to help minorities because they should help themselves. % Government help	1970: 22%	1982: 18%