Next Stop: The North Summary and Analysis

Watts riots in California illuminated the tension between the Negroes and the whites in the North and Western States. The South made progress towards freedom and integration, while the rest of the country was left without dignity. The south increased respect and dignity through nonviolent means. The rest of the country was engulfed in poverty and sporadic violence. Cities moved Negroes into filthy, squalid, and hopeless slums and ghettos. Children were trapped in poor schools. Unemployment was extreme, and police brutality rationalized and denied.

While the south gained respect, the northern Negro drained its finances into their struggle. The north changed from a vibrant society to stagnant communities. Leaders expected that progress in the rest of the country would match southern improvements. The nonviolent movement forced the federal government to act with responsibility and strength...