ETHNICITY Chapter 7

Ethnicity Ethnicity is identity with a group of people who share the cultural traditions of a particular homeland or hearth. Comes from the Greek work ethnikos, which means national.

Importance of Ethnicity Ethnic identity is immutable: we can not choose to change it…it can be diluted, but never completely disappears. No global domination attempt…ethnic groups are fighting with each other to control specific areas. Ethnicity is the protector of local diversity and folk cultures.

Ethnicities in the U.S. Clustering of ethnicities can occur at two scales. Particular regions of the country Particular neighborhoods within cities

Hispanics Now the largest minority 38.8 million (of million total) 13.4 % of U.S. population (July 1, 2002) 1in 3 Hispanics were under age of 18 Nearly 5 in 10 lived in central cities 21% were below poverty line Hispanic kids represented 18% of all children, 30% of children in poverty

Hispanics Mexicans are the largest group—more than 60% Puerto Ricans are second Cubans third Hispanic account for half of the growth in our population; half of the growth in Hispanic population is due to migration

Hispanics Half of Hispanics lived in California or Texas. ¾ of Hispanics lived in the West or South. Puerto Ricans live in NY, FL, NJ, PA 2/3 of Cubans live in FL Hispanics can be any race. Hispanics/Latinos

African-Americans 12.4 (12.9)% of U.S. population 60% of African Americans live in 10 states: NY, CA, TX, FL, GA, IL, NC, MD, MI, LA. 5 of these had more than 2 million each: NY, CA, TX, FL and GA 54% of blacks live in the South, 19% in Midwest, 18% in NE, and 10% in West

African American More than half of blacks live in cities (compared to ¼ of all Americans). Detroit Blacks comprise ¾ of population 1/10 of Michigan’s population

Asian Americans 11.9 million (4.2 %) 9% growth rate (fastest) 20% of the 11.9 million are Chinese Filipinos are second largest 50% of Asians lived in 3 states: CA, NY,HA 49% in West, 20% in NE, 19% in South and 12% in Midwest

Asians 57% of all the people reporting as Asian lived in 10 states: CA, NY, HA, TX, NJ, IL,WA, FL, VA, MA 44% of Asian and PI age 25 + had BA degree or higher; 86 had at least HS

American Indian and Alaska Native 4.1 million (1.5%) Lowest annual income Highest unemployment Clustered in the West (43%), 31% in South, 17% in Midwest, and 9% in NE Largest states: Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico

African-American Migration Patterns Three major migration flows have shaped the current distribution of African Americans within the United States Immigration from Africa to the United States in the 18 th century Immigration from the U.S. South to the northern cities in the early 1900’s Immigration from the inner cities to the suburbs in the mid 1950’s to today

Forced Migration The first Africans to the United States were brought as slaves in the early 1600’s During the 1700’s, the British brought around 400,000 slaves to the United States In 1808, the United States banned importing new slaves, but 250,000 were brought in illegally

African Slavery The Spanish and Portuguese were the first Europeans to engage in the slave trade They would promise weapons to African tribal leaders in exchange for slaves One tribe would conquer a nearby tribe and trade the captives for weapons This began the triangular slave trade

Slavery continued Most British slaves went to the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations Most Portuguese slaves went to Brazil Slaves brought to the United States mainly stayed in the South, working on plantations Fewer than 5 percent of slaves went to the United States

Slavery banned The United States became divided on the issue of slavery As new states were added to the U.S., slavery became an important issue The Civil War was fought to prevent pro- slavery states from seceding from the Union ( )

Slavery Banned Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution after the South surrendered This amendment outlawed slavery

The aftermath Many African-Americans remained in the South to work as sharecroppers A sharecropper works on a rented field, and pays the landowner by giving them a portion of their crops This system caused lots of debt, and kept many African-Americans in poverty

Immigration to the North As sharecropping began to decline, many African-Americans were pulled to the North by the promise of industrial jobs There were two large immigration waves: before and after World War I, and before and after World War II Both wars caused a demand for industrial products

In the ghetto When they arrived in the cities, there were very few places they could afford to live Many new immigrants clustered in small, ethnic neighborhoods (Southside of Chicago) There was a high population density with as many as 100,000 people per square mile

Differentiating Race and Ethnicity The traits that characterize a race can be transmitted genetically from parents to children Ethnicity is used to describe characteristics of a particular group that shares a cultural background Black is an example of race, and African- American is an example of ethnicity

Ethnic Groups in the US Asian-American is considered to be a race and an ethnicity African-Americans do not all trace their cultural heritage to Africa. Hispanic or Latino is not considered a race.

The races, according to the US Census White Black, African- American, or Negro American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Indian Chinese Filipino Japanese Korean Vietnamese Other Asian Native Hawaiian Guamanian or Chamorro Samoan Other Pacific Islander Other race