Desegregation in Boston and Buffalo: The Influence of Local Leaders

Desegregation in Boston and Buffalo examines how the citizens and the political leadership of the two cities dealt with controversial court orders to end the segregation of public schools. Although the cities shared many similarities, they witnessed very dissimilar outcomes. Taylor covers key factors such as inter-ethnic relations and the struggle of various ethnic groups for political empowerment, and focuses on the political development of African American communities in urban environments and the role of Black elected leadership in helping to diffuse potentially volatile situations.