This lecture deals with all ethnic minorities in America excpet African Americans which have been dealt with in the previsous lecture. The focus here is on Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans.

1. MINORITIES

2. 322 million inhabitants

3. Hispanics and Caribbeans

4. Hispanics and Caribbeans

5. Hispanics and Caribbeans
•The fastest growing minority today (more
than 12.5% of the American population.
•Mexicans Puerto-Ricans and Cubans (20
different countries)

6. Hispanics
Cubans
• Anti-communist Cubans of the first wave:
Asylum seekers and political refugees.

7. Hispanics
Puerto Ricans
• Recruitment of Puerto
Rican workers facilitated by
their citizenship status and
the rapid expansion of
commercial air traffic
routes connecting Puerto
Rico to the United States.
Most Puerto Ricans were
looking for better
economic opportunities

8. Hispanics
Mexicans
• Up to the 1960’s Mexican
Americans were mainly
agricultural workers .
Largest immigrant group
motivated by labor
demands in the United
States and political
unrest in Mexico

9. Heterogeneous Socio-Economic Profile
• First Cuban immigrants: most successful
Hispanics as most of them skilled
professionals & managers
• Puerto Ricans disadvantaged in education
(worse situation than African Americans)
• Mexican Americans stand in between.

10. Hispanics
Common cultural features
• Linguistically: Spanish is the most widely spoken
foreign language in the US
• Religiously overwhelmingly Roman Catholic
• Geographically: most live in the Sunbelt States (50% in
California and Florida)
• Socially: They have more stable family structures (70%
of household headed by married couple) & higher birth
rate (18% more than 3 children)
• Professionally: Majority belongs to the working class.
Jobs in agriculture and textile industries, catering and
domestic work.
• Illegals => many work in the Underground economy.

11. Patterns of integration
• Many Hispanics do not wish to apply for American
citizenship
• Some never learn English. (US: 5th Spanish speaking
country worldwide).
• Retain an exile mentality. Cubans who fled Fidel Castro
in the 60’s never expected to remain in the US.
• Many Mexican-Americans do not regard themselves as
immigrants but feel they are settling on a territory that
formerly was theirs.
• Hold on to their language and traditions, said to be
building a “nation within the nation.”

12. Asian Americans

13. ASIANS
•Before Chinese exclusion act
(1882) , many Chinese came
to the west to build railroads,
work in gold mines or as
domestic servants.
•They are Chinese, Filipinos,
Japanese, Koreans,
Vietnamese + Refugees from
Laos Cambodia Thailand and
India.

14. Work Ethics
They share similarities:
• Excellent academic achievements
• Spectacular assimilation.
• Integrate well, learn English quickly
• Ask for American citizenship.
• often outperform whites at school and university
especially in science: 30% of Berkley students,
20% of MIT and 15% of Harvard and Stanford.

15. Confucian view of the world
Confucius a Chinese teacher,
editor, politician, and philosopher
His principles: strong family
loyalty, respect of elders and the
cultivation of knowledge.
“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

16. Confucian view of the world
• The reasons for success are cultural:
high premium on education, discipline and
strong family ties.
Asians therefore fully embrace the American work ethic
and competitive spirit.
• The success of this “model minority” generates
animosity among whites and other minority
groups. As in Los Angeles riots of 1992
• Disguised discrimination: universities accused of
imposing quotas to curb Asian presence.

17. American Indians/
Native Americans
• 2 million American Indians
• 500 different tribes: Cherokees, Navajos,
Sioux, Chippewa’s, Choctaw, Pueblos,
Apaches, Iroquois, Lumbees, Creeks
• Most of them live in the Southwest (Arizona,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Nevada)
• Often live in reservations (100).

18. A history of struggle
• Native Americans were slaughtered in the 18th
and 19th century by frontiersmen
• Whites disregarded treaties signed between
Washington and various tribes.
• Those that did not die in the battles were
moved to reservations.

19. Contradictory policies
• Elimination by military means (the battles of
little Big Horn 1876 and Wounded Knee,
1890);
• Assimilation as with the Indian reorganization
Act in 1934.
• All Indians were granted citizenship only in
1924

20. Precarious conditions
• Predominantly rural population living below the
poverty line outside the mainstream of American
society.
• High unemployment rate.
• Work in low-skill, low-wage branches. Others live
off their local crafts.
• many social ills: inadequate housing, disease,
poor schooling and health and a high rate of
alcoholism and suicide especially among the
young.

21. Assimilation
• Today, between the need to adapt to modern
American society and to keep their identity
and tribal customs.
• These are the goals of the National Congress
of American Indians (1944) and the National
Indian Youth Council (1961) both of which
refuse assimilation.

22. Assimilation
• This is Tom Torlino. He attended a special boarding
school for Native American students. Here he is both
before and after his time at the school.

23. THE END