Well, okey dokey, I'll just put my southern butt in this itchy conversation.
Of course racism occurs - it occurs in real life also - so it's no big secret it would be in the congregations wherever races mix/don't mix.
I'm originally from Indianapolis - biggggg headquarters for the KKK. In our local KH, we had one black family (and they were really nice.) However, in the next KH, it was almost all black - and they finally reassigned a white elder there to try to get more whites to go there. I don't remember them bringing a black elder to the predominately white hall, however.
One Sunday I heard a talk about appreciating our children at my home cong. presented by white speaker, rather dry, but that's what I was used to. About a month later, missed my meeting - went to the predominately black hall - heard the same talk. Man! The difference, the enthusiasm, people actually laughed during the talk, was great! That's just a side comment btw. It was the first time I realized that warmth could vary so much from cong. to cong.
Anyway, moved to South Carolina. In our area, for the extreme most part - lousy speakers, black or white. Our cong. was 80/20 black/white - as are most cong. here at this time. Our elders are the same percentage - but they all "yessir" to the old white PO.
Sisters? Black & white are second class, and the black sisters are considered lower, imho, for the most part. If they don't stick up for themselves, they will be ignored, even run over. Spanish about the same situation.
However, the KKK doesn't seem as strong down here.
Btw, a truism at least until the 80's. In many small towns in Indiana, there were no blacks. In a small town outside Indpls., a black school janitor was hired, by the time he moved there with his family, his house was burned down. Obviously, he didn't stay. A woman who lived in this small town told me of the incident.
In South Carolina, small towns tend to be about 80/20 black/white.
I've never understood the different attitudes.
waiting - been in the South for 20 years now.