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ETHNIC GROUPS & AMER. DREAM.
Term Paper ID:24567
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Essay Subject:
Overview of hardships of ethnic Amer. & examples of social, economic, political & literary success.... More...
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7 Pages / 1575 Words
7 sources, 12 Citations,
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Paper Abstract:
Overview of hardships of ethnic Amer. & examples of social, economic, political & literary success.
Paper Introduction:
The United States boasts the greatest cultural diversity of any nation in the world. Among these cultures are African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Pacifics, and European immigrants. The common ground these groups share is their belief in the American Dream.
Diversity is found even within ethnic groups. Native-born blacks as well as recent immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa are classified as African-American. The term "Hispanic" refers to a wide range of groups including Mexican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and immigrants from South and Central America. (Mexican-Americans represent the largest group among the Hispanic population.) Native Americans are identified according to their tribal affiliation, which includes Sioux, Cherokee, Chippewa, and Navaho. European immigrants hail from
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Kennedy.Kennedy was esteemed as a war hero and scholar when he decided to enterpolitics. (1994a). (1991). 11 ). A number of problems plague the Native American culture. Boston: Little, Brown. Chung then moved to LosAngeles where she got her first anchor post at a CBS station. 13 ). Generally, the better educatedNative Americans relocated, and the reservations became blighted.Fortunately, the renewal of tribal life, the new direction of federalpolicy (greater autonomy for Native Americans in managing their ownaffairs), and the willingness of the white majority to honor ancienttreaties represents an advance. Asignificant percentage of blacks attend college and enjoy ample employmentopportunities: "African Americans came to be accepted as supervisors andmanagers in the nation's largest businesses. Native-born blacks aswell as recent immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa are classified asAfrican-American. The Mexican American FamilyAlbum. 125). Chung grew up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., the daughter ofChinese immigrants. Ethnic groups have made significantcontributions to American society because of their commitment to theAmerican Dream. Of thegroups mentioned above, the Irish and Asian-Americans have had the mostsuccess in economic terms. A different mirror. Like Dennis Banks, Mexican-American Cesar Chavez was an activist.Chavez was influenced by Martin Luther King, Jr., who believed in usingreligion and nonviolent resistance as weapons in the battle for socialjustice. Forinstance, Toni Morrison is the first African-American to win the NobelPrize for literature; Morrison also won the Pulitzer Prize. Banks was one of thefounders of the American Indian Movement (AIM) an activist Native Americangroup. 1 4). She has won broadcast journalism's highestawards, three Emmys and a Peabody: "Those who know her best think thatChung's greatest achievements may still be ahead of her" (Hoobler, 1994b,p. Today, China'shuman rights violations and the scandal of Asian fundraising in the WhiteHouse have created concerns: "Most non-Asians in America adhere to thewidely-held misconception that Asians in the United States are'accountable' for the doings of their ancestral lands. television station. High ratesof unemployment, alcoholism, and disease persist. An Irish American role model is the late president John F. Kennedy showed a concern for the underprivileged and stimulated anera of social criticism and political activism; his assassination was atragic loss for the nation. Millions of illegalMexican aliens now live in the United States. (1993). Kennedy. (Mexican-Americans represent the largestgroup among the Hispanic population.) Native Americans are identifiedaccording to their tribal affiliation, which includes Sioux, Cherokee,Chippewa, and Navaho. Mexican-Americans also face both economic prosperity and uncertainty. Working long hours underharsh conditions with few legal protections, these immigrants performmanual labor in the garment industry, domestic services, and agriculturalfields. Hoobler, D. As an Irish American, Kennedy had to overcomethe threat that his ethnic group and religion (Roman Catholic) presentedfor his political future. Participation in politics is another feature that distinguishesethnic groups in America. Mexico's chronic poverty has motivatedsignificant numbers of Mexicans to cross the American border, sometimesillegally: "During a period of extreme economic distress in Mexico andfurther south, through Central America, the obvious solution has been topush north in search of work" (Ungar, 1995, p. Although African-Americans have a rich literarytradition, Morrison had to overcome resistance by publishers (the majorityof whom are white), who did not believe that a mass market existed forbooks by African-American authors. and Hoobler, T. Ishi, T. The term "Hispanic" refers to a wide range of groupsincluding Mexican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and immigrantsfrom South and Central America. Americans have beenconstantly redefining their national identity from the moment of firstcontact on the Virginia shore" (Takaki, 1993, p. The group has also sponsored internationaltreaty conferences on several reservations. 339). Whileworking for the NBC network she visited China for the first time andbroadcasted live from Beijing. This assimilation implied that successivegenerations would eventually obliterate their native customs in favor ofbecoming one hundred percent "American." Social scientists now realizethat an ethnic group's retention of traditional customs is positive, andoften results in a blending of the best of both cultures. African-Americancandidates have run for all major political offices in the country and arerepresented in the nation's Congress, and state and local governments.Asian-Americans and Hispanics have been less visible in politics, and to aneven lesser extent Native Americans. Ungar, S. AsianAmericans tend to maintain close political and economic ties to theirhomelands: "The 'development' (or 'redevelopment') of Chinatowns,Japantowns, and Koreatowns in California were all largely supported byAsian capital" (Ishi, 1991, p. Whereas many of their parentsheld blue-collar jobs, today's Irish Americans enter the white-collarfields: "Irish Americans, who earlier found the road to success started onthe police force, now enter the legal profession" (Hoobler, 1995a, p. During the 196 s and early 197 s,AIM dramatized their cause by occupying Alcatraz Island in San FranciscoBay, the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, and a trading post atWounded Knee, South Dakota. NewYork: Simon & Schuster.----------------------- 1 17). European immigrants hail from countries as diverseas Ireland, England, France, and Germany. This fact createsan uneasy and difficult situation for these Asians" (Ishi, 1991, p. Their children begangraduating from the nation's finest colleges, and for some the futurelooked bright" (Hoobler, 1995b, p. The degree of ties to their native countries provides an interestingpoint of comparison/contrast for America's immigrant ethnic groups. Diversity is found even within ethnic groups. The African American FamilyAlbum. In Shirley Hune, Hyung-Chan Kim, Stephen Fugita, and Amy Ling(Eds.), Asian Americans (pp. America was once considered a country where different nationalitiesblended into a melting pot. . 123-136). In 1946 he won election to the House of Representatives from aBoston district. (1994b). By then Kennedy had won a Pulitzer Prize for his book Profiles inCourage. Irish Americans are perhaps the most politicallyactive ethnic group in the country. A Native American role model is Dennis Banks. Asignificant obstacle faced by Chavez was the strong resistance tounionizing by the growers, some of whom resorted to violence. The United States boasts the greatest cultural diversity of anynation in the world. and Hoobler, T. and Hoobler, T. (Among Europeans, the Irish haveemigrated to America in the greatest numbers in recent years.) An Asian-American could have Japanese, Chinese, Korean, or Southeast Asian ancestry. 115). Formed in 1968, AIM devotes itself to organizing Native Americansaround civil rights and justice issues, and emphasizes the right of NativeAmericans to control their own affairs. New York: Oxford University Press. Chung's career as co-host of the "CBS Evening News" made her one of the most famous Asian-Americans in the country. Takaki, R. Increasingly, African-Americans are becoming actively involved in politics. Chung graduated from the University of Maryland; herfirst job was in a D.C. Today, the overwhelming majority of IrishAmericans are born in the United States. The Chinese American FamilyAlbum. Many Native Americanshave abandoned the reservations for the cities: "By 198 , 74 , Indians--more than half of the total Native American population--no longer lived onreservations" (Takaki, 1993, p. Economic success has created a divided world for African-Americans.On one hand, millions of blacks have experienced upward mobility. Chavez traveled to migrant camps and organized the workers into aunion, then organized a strike of grape pickers in California and anationwide consumer boycott of grapes and lettuce picked by nonunionworkers. In 196 , Kennedy won the presidency by defeating opponent RichardNixon. An Asian-American role model is Connie Chung. Hoobler, D. Hoobler, D. 115). The majority of Mexican-Americans, however, enter the countrylegally, qualify for citizenship, and lead productive lives: "There arecountless success stories among today's Mexican Americans" (Hoobler, 1994,p. New York: Oxford University Press. America's cultural diversity has been a hallmark of the nation.Although society appears increasingly fragmented, in reality a strong senseof common purpose remains. The most famous Irish Americanpolitician was the late president John F. Fresh blood: The new American immigrants. 418). As with immigrants of the past, most Mexican-Americans come to the UnitedStates to seek a better life. (1995). New York: Oxford University Press. As one Irish American immigrationworker laments: "Some Irish Americans have a vision of Irish people thatis very outmoded" (Ungar, 1995, p. The voters of Massachusetts sent him to the Senate in1952. The China visit had a lasting effect onChung, helping her define her roots. (1995b). (The exception is Southeast Asianimmigrants, who struggle with economic hardship and welfare dependency.)The younger generation of Asian-Americans, torn between the new and theold, face stresses and tensions but generally retain a strong groupidentity while taking advantage of opportunities in mainstream society.Asian-Americans, however, are subject to discrimination to a large extentbased on the relationships between the United States and their countries oforigin. Chavez's efforts led to better wages for field hands andstrengthened ethnic consciousness among Mexican-Americans: "La Causa, thepopular name for the movement he inspired, united many Mexican Americansand gave them a new pride in their heritage" (Hoobler, 1994a, p. The Irish American FamilyAlbum. 1 1). and Hoobler, T. Her works areintense portrayals of the lives of African-American men and women. But outside the world of theemployed is the grim world of inner-city ghettoes in which residents aretrapped in a cycle of crime, poverty, and unwed pregnancy. Upward mobility is a characteristic of most ethnic groups. New York: Oxford University Press. The United States truly represents a salad bowl of humanity: "Americadoes not belong to one race or one group . Among these cultures are African-Americans,Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Pacifics, and European immigrants. Contemporary anti-Asian activities: A globalperspective. A significant obstacle for Chung washer role as a trailblazer; she achieved success in fields that no otherAsian-American has been able to conquer. (1995a). In contrast, many Irish Americans whohave established themselves in the United States find it difficult tomaintain their linkages to Ireland. Aformer teacher of literature at Howard University, Morrison began writingshort stories before turning to novels: "Financial rewards for her workscame slowly, and Morrison supported herself as a teacher and editor"(Hoobler, 1995b, p. An obstacle that Banks hasfaced is opposition from traditionalistic Native Americans who feel thatAIM is too militant. . For instance, during the 198 s, Asian-Americans were the victimsof racism due to Japan's economic and military ascendancy. 1 ). Thecommon ground these groups share is their belief in the American Dream. References Hoobler, D. As a group, Irish Americans have become thoroughly assimilated intomainstream society. Because of the proximity of Mexico tothe American border, Mexican-Americans also retain strong business andfamily ties with their home country. Most Asian Americans have likewise worked hard, sought highereducation, and moved up rapidly. Successful role models can be cited from each ethnic group. 1 9).
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