As usual, there's more to the story then meets the eye.

It didn't begin as white/black thing but it ended-up that way. It began as a turf thing. Not that turf wars are any more sensible, it's just that folks immediately drew the racial aspect because the turf war involved kids who were of different pigment groups.

Group A had counted that particular tree as "theirs".

Group B wanted it.

Groups C-Z didn't give a *****. But forget about the majority of kids, white & black, who used to get along okay and go to school functions and have a good time. Instead, let's concentrate on the two groups at odds over a damned tree.

The supergeniuses in Group A retaliated by hanging a noose in the tree as an implied threat.

The Group B brainiacs responded with personal threats, to which the supergeniuses in Group A responded in a like manner.

A Group A ringleader walked-out of school alone and was jumped by several Group B brainiacs and was severely beaten.

Group B Brainiacs were charged with attempted murder.

Professional Race Relations Magnates recognized a pigmentation difference between the groups and branded it a racial issue.

Newspapers love a race conflict.

Here we are.

B