Breaking Racial Barriers in Montana. Montana historian Ken Robison will present Breaking Racial Barriers: The Civil Rights Movement in Montana, from the new book “Black Americans and the Civil Rights Movement in the West.” In Montana, racial prejudice and discrimination were pervasive despite the relatively small number of African Americans living here. Discrimination began to crumble during World War II, due in part to the influx of black soldiers and the wartime environment. In the cities of Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula, white and black residents, including Alma Jacobs, Raymond Howard, James Dorsey, and Mike Mansfield, aided the movement to eradicate racial intolerance. Overall, Montana made “significant progress” over the postwar decades. Robison will present stories of the environment at the time, discuss African Americans’ experiences in each of the three communities, and highlight key individuals who helped advance civil rights in the Treasure State.