Race and ethnicity in America : a concise history /

All too often, race and ethnicity are treated simply as "add-ons" in US history. The traditional triumphalist narrative is rehashed with the instruction to add race, ethnicity, and gender, "and stir." This book represents an outstanding departure from the old formula as it systematically places ethnic and racial diversity at the center of the North American experience, from first contacts between Europeans and indigenous Native American peoples right up to the present. These impressive essays explore a variety of themes and are organized chronologically. The ethnic and religious diversity of Colonial America is thoroughly examined, along with regional variations in the South and West in the 19th century. Ethnic conflicts between "old stock" immigrants from northwestern Europe and "new stock" immigrants from southern and eastern Europe are discussed, as are the nuances of difference between "Mayflower whiteness" and "Ellis Island whiteness." The subordination of African Americans, Mexican Americans, the Chinese, and Japanese receives consistent attention, as does the rise of pan-ethnic identity among Native Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans since the 1960s. This important contribution to ethnic studies is eminently useful. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All public and academic levels and libraries. W. Glasker Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden

Bayor gathers essays by history professors who address the impact and creation of race and ethnic identity in the peopling and formation of America. Although these essays are presented in chronological order, starting with the early colonists' first encounters with Native Americans and proceeding to the increasingly multicultural America of today, there are many recurring themes and much overlap as to who, what, and how America came to be. Readers learn that the Irish were once considered a different race, with a status just above that of blacks. They subsequently secured white status through politics, among other outlets. Native Americans also went through numerous shifts in perception and status as a result of unenforceable treaties. Mexican Americans saw their land and identities consumed by the push westward. Chinese, who helped tame the American West, were the first group to be excluded from immigration. Then there are the various waves of European immigrants who subsequently merged into the American mainstream, unlike Americans of African descent. This compelling work reflects the fluidity and complexity of American race identity. --Vernon Ford Copyright 2003 Booklist