Final answer:
White flight refers to the migration of economically secure whites from urban areas to the suburbs, deeply impacting American cities by diminishing tax revenues and leading to the decline of infrastructure and public services during the 1960s.
Step-by-step explanation:
White flight is a term used to describe the phenomenon of economically secure white individuals leaving racially mixed urban areas for suburban neighborhoods, primarily evident throughout the twentieth century in the United States. The impact of white flight during the 1960s on American cities was significant. It led to a reduction in the cities' tax base as prosperous individuals took their income to the suburbs, which in turn diminished city governments' ability to sustain public services such as transportation, police and fire departments, and schooling systems. This migration often resulted in the deterioration of urban infrastructure and a decline in the quality of public education. It also contributed to the socio-economic and racial segregation of communities, as suburbs became increasingly affluent and cities faced challenges associated with poverty and declining public resources. White flight changed not only the demographic landscape of American cities but also contributed to a complex web of socio-economic issues that persisted in urban environments.