A hierarchical system concerned with stratum at a given point in time was described in this study. Hypotheses were formulated concerning organizational or associational participation, religious preference, family decision-making, educational aspirations for children, and the assimilation of Negroes and Whites in the community. Survey data were collected from 116 respondents from a rural community in northeastern Louisiana. The conclusions indicated more differences in cultural traits between strata within the Negro and White groups than between corresponding strata of the 2 racial groups. White high school and elementary strata were found to differ on the basis of organizational and associational participation while the 2 Negro strata differed on both family decision-making and parental aspirations for children. It was further indicated that cultural pluralism or a difference in cultural traits does not exist when interracial stratum is held constant, although a small amount of social pluralism or institutional skin color distinction does. Further research was needed to validate the change in the relationship of the Negro subculture to the larger White culture. (HBC)