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A lot of it is fear. The more you deal with whites in a small town, the more danger you can be in. In Slidell, most blacks also avoided whites, despite integrated churches, out of han fear. Our housing was still segregated, with a fence down my street to separate the white from the black side.
For some of my older relatives, even well-meaning whites can be dangerous. They fear one misunderstanding will lead to a false accusation of something. The "segregation" is far less voluntary it may seem.
I rode to bus to my Catholic school, where I had white friends. But I could not be invited to their birthday parties.There was no attempts by school officials to integrate black music at dances or really to make my generation feel welcome. People of my generation and older tend to be suspicious in small towns.
Where I am, the whites I know are more well-meaning and open. Class is far more openly discussed and understood. Mt mother fears I will be falsely accused of something. She fears my husband will be accused.
In some small towns in the South, if a black runs for office, bad things happen. That happened in my family. Even in a segregated school, tracking tends to be racial, not score based. The only way to get ahead is to get out. I got out.
Music is cross racial. Join a choir. Seriously. Learn an instrument. It works. Or volunteer for the Y. There are people who want to meet you.
I want you to find a community. I know how hard that can be. I traveled between my integrated life in Ohio and my segregated life in Louisiana for decades. I wish you luck!
