Trends in Racial Attitudes in Detroit,1968-1992

Abstract

Using survey data from the 1960s and 1990s, the authors examine trends in racial attitudes in Detroit in the post-civil rights era. They investigate the degree to which African-Americans and whites see themselves as victims of their racial circumstances and how each group has changed its perceptions of the other group. Whereas whites seem more accepting of residential integration than they were earlier, they are more likely to see themselves as victims of discrimination and less likely to see African-Americans as victims. The authors find no indication of improving racial perspectives among African-Americans but do uncover signs of heightened tensions.