And fifty years later ... students from across the country talk about race in their high schools--and in their lives.

• Author: Gordon, Jane
• Position: National

Nat Gale, 17

Hartford Public High School

Hartford, Conn.

"I am the only American-born white person in my senior class at Hartford High. I don't pay it any mind. My circle of friends is so integrated--Asian, African-Americans, Latino--all the different colors of the rainbow. In seventh and eighth grade, race was more of a problem because people called me cracker and Saltine. Two weeks into freshman year, people stopped looking at race because there are so many different faces at the high school.

The balance of race in Hartford schools has changed my education. I get more of a well-rounded view of matters. the shooting of Amadou Diallo [an unarmed African immigrant who waas shot dead by New York police in 1999]. A lot of African-American students were very upset because they thought to the table."

Hia School's Racial Breakdown Hispanic 61% Black 33% White 4% Other 2% Note: Table made from pie graph. Akeisha Nave, 17

Highland Park High School

Topeka, Kan.

"I work in North Topeka at China Inn, and there's not very many black people.

They have questions. They see things on TV. Like what do we eat for Thanksgiving. Questions about really good hair or nappy hair. I eat the same thing other people eat for Thanksgiving--turkey!

So many people are biracial nowadays, half black, half white. I don't ever see race as a problem---ever.

I feel like sometimes, just being a minority, I have so many more opportunities. And as part Indian, I get money from the tribe."

Her School's Racial Breakdown Hispanic 20.5% Black 33.7% White 33.8% Other 9.5% American Indian/ Alaskan 2.5% Note: Table made from pie graph. Ashley Aguirre, 17

Rancho High School

Pico Rivera, Calif.

"My dad is from Guatemala, so I usually say I'm Latina. If I classified myself just as Mexican-American, then I would be eliminating my dad's heritage. Most of my friends are second-generation Mexican-American. None of them are like, I'm all proud of being a Latino.' I don't think anybody really puts a label on themselves anymore. Race isn't an issue.

I think there are a lot of people at El Rancho who are illegal. They have a right to go to school too. Everybody should have education available to them.

I've heard people make fun of them, like saying, 'Oh, you're a real Mexican.' There's a difference of how Mexican you can be, funny as that may sound.

Most of the people that recently came from other countries, they have their own cliques and they all talk to each other, whereas people who have been...