This book discusses the history of the segregation issue from before the Civil War through the Johnson administration, the struggle between the Federal and State governments over the 1954 Supreme Court ruling to abolish segregated education, the emergence of civil rights as a national issue, and the passing of civil rights legislation under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. The evolution of guidelines for implementing Federal law, and the problems of administering a social revolution are analyzed, with separate chapters on the failure of desegregation in Chicago and Virginia. Congressional approval of moderate school guidelines, which included the "freedom of choice" option, delimiting the enforcing powers of the Office of Education, and anti-riot legislation turned the tide against implementing a nation-wide educational desegregation policy. A large part of this failure is attributed to the structure of the American governmental system (which must yield to strong local power bases) and the seniority of Southern congressmen determined to safeguard a caste system. (KG)