Although there were slight rumblings of discontent and some minor racial issues, big problems never really materialized, Lewis added. He said that for generations in Plano, residents of every color all seemed to work well together to get along. "We were all poor. We were just common. I think Plano had been conditioned for that. There was no friction, no hostility, no violence. But that's the story. It had to be one of the most seamless integrations on record."
Jack Williams lived in the Douglass Community and admitted that although integration went well in Plano, it wasn't always a smooth transition. "We didn't have any problems when [the civil rights movement] was going on," he said. "After integration, we had several isolated incidents," Williams admitted that the isolated incidents were a small price to pay for the progress that was enjoyed by everyone in the city. "Integration was great for our kids." Jack's wife, Norma, recalled that not everyone in Plano embraced integration as easily as others. "They were hanging scarecrows and burning crosses in yards here, too," she added.
Source:
New York Public Library