[Red Badger]

I grew up in northern Miss'ippi in Hickory Flat. That's halfway between where Elvis was born (Tupelo) and where he died (Memphis). As Freeman says, there was segregation and you just dealt with it as a way of life. There were racists KKK types around but they were a minority and their views were not those of the general populace. There was a respectful separation between the white and black populations but it was never violent and always polite. Southern hospitality was ever present. I could go on and on. The most prejudiced people I ever met were all yankees.

BTW, Fox's Sheperd Smith is from Holly Springs and Oprah Winfrey and Brett Fahrve are from MS, too......

[cyborg]

There was a respectful separation between the white and black populations but it was never violent and always polite.

*** What a strange thing to say. I wouldn't say it was so much respectful as it was 'just the way things were'. What options did someone black have living in such a time. Either be angry and bitter or work with whatever you had. All that politeness ended whenever someone stepped out of place. Having said that, the North was no prize and there were places with unspoken 'whites only' policies just like the South.