''A splendid analysis of how racial narratives can influence the public's support for or opposition to school desegregation... Pride's work is a virtually flawless product of painstaking research. Moreover, his innovative examination of the impact of narratives makes his book valuable for students and researchers in the social sciences.'' American Historical Review ''A rich and interesting account of local political struggles in Mobile, Alabama, starting in 1954, against federally imposed school desegregation... This book is a valuable contribution to the field both conceptually in terms of our understanding of the political power of the narrative, and in terms of historical detail.'' Ethnic and Racial Studies