[2][citation needed] In 1945, Arkin moved his family to Los Angeles, California to take a teaching job.
An eight-month Hollywood strike cost Arkin a set designer job, but the greater blow was as a result of the McCarthy "witch hunt".
[4] Arkin's most memorable song-writing contribution was in creating the lyrics to the song "Black and White", with music by Earl Robinson in 1954.
[5] The song was written to celebrate the United States Supreme Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education striking down racial segregation in public schools.
"Black and White" has been recorded by Pete Seeger, Sammy Davis Jr, Greyhound, The Maytones and Three Dog Night.