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How big was the percentage of white people in the USA who were not against granting the blacks equal rights at the time when the blacks finally got the equality of rights (which I think was in 1964).

If it's hard to give the percentage, then, perhaps, it is possible to give a general review of the situation in American white community in terms of their general view on this matter?

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The main Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. –  Tom Au Apr 27 '13 at 15:46
@TomAu - Thank you. I am going to edit my question now. –  brilliant Apr 27 '13 at 17:16

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up vote 5 down vote accepted


I'm not quite sure how to answer your first question; the syntax is very difficult, and I have no idea how to measure how many people did not oppose a measure. What I can provide is a single point in time figure for how many supported the bill. I have no way to know how many of the remaining 32% opposed the bill, how many didn't care, and how many were unaware of the bill. I'm sure that somewhere there are opinion polls that would separate the answer by race.

Your second question would require a book to answer. (The FAQ discourages book length answers).

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Thank you, Mark. Does 68% include blacks, whites or both? Is it a 68% of all the population of the USA or just 68% of some group of people of the USA (say, some representatives)? –  brilliant Apr 28 '13 at 12:28
I don't have a breakout by race; the citation is all I was able to find, and I believe it is 68% of the US population. (as measured by a public opinion poll) –  Mark C. Wallace Apr 28 '13 at 13:04
Thank you. So, if we assume that it was 68% of the US population, then would it be okay to say that the majority of the US population were not against providing equal rights to the blacks? –  brilliant Apr 28 '13 at 13:29
@brilliant: Basically "civil rights" took off about the time when a majority of the population was "not against" them (with a time lag). Particularly a majority of the White population. (The black population was about 10% at the time, so whites representing about 58% of the population were "not against" them.) I don't have sources handy, but before World War II, it was about 60%-40% the other way, at least among whites AGAINST civil rights. –  Tom Au Apr 28 '13 at 13:36
@TomAu - Thank you for this input, Tom!!! –  brilliant Apr 28 '13 at 13:38

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