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How did force integration during the Civil Rights Movement impact the black community in the years following the height of the movement?

A) The black community experienced increased economic opportunities and upward mobility.
B) Racial tensions persisted, leading to continued discrimination and systemic inequality.
C) There was a significant decline in political activism within the black community.
D) The educational attainment and access to quality schools improved for black individuals.
E) Force integration resulted in improved social cohesion and racial harmony.

User Sunil Rao
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Final answer:

Forced integration increased economic opportunities and university enrollment for some in the black community but also led to racial tensions and a divide in economic status. Despite improvements in education, the loss of black teachers and weakening of community institutions were significant costs. The struggle for equity and justice continued beyond the civil rights era. Option A is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Forced integration during the Civil Rights Movement had a complex impact on the black community. In the years following the peak of the movement, economic opportunities and upward mobility increased for some within the black community. This expansion, beyond the earlier "talented tenth" discussed by W. E. B. Du Bois, included a growing middle and upper class and an impressive surge in university enrollment and graduation rates. However, racial tensions persisted, systemic inequality and discrimination continued to be a significant obstacle, and economic disparities within the black community widened. Educational opportunities improved, but the cost was high: the loss of black teachers and the disintegration of strong community institutions. Social cohesion and racial harmony were envisioned outcomes of integration, yet the reality proved to be far more complex and less uniformly positive.

While some neighborhoods and schools became more integrated, others experienced a drain of resources and talent, as members of the growing black middle class often left for better opportunities, inadvertently contributing to the poverty and decline of certain communities. The continued activism and local efforts played a crucial role in achieving civil rights victories, but the struggle for equity and justice was far from over, as new challenges emerged in the post-civil rights era.

User Jimm Chen
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