Heterogeneous- Everyone is different in American society
Immigrant- Legal aliens from a different country
Reservation- Public land given to Native Americans by the government
Refugee- Someone who leaves another country for protection
Assimilation- Adapt to another culture
NOTES
The population of the US prominently white - today and has been historically
Immigrants have arrived in near record numbers every year since the 1960's
Populations that have grown: African American, Hispanic American, Asian American. These groups have grown at rates several times higher than the white population
Minority populations exceed white populations in the following states: California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Texas
In recent years have more females than males
African Americans have been the victims of consistent and deliberate unjust treatment for a longer time than any other minority group of Americans
African American's constitute a huge minority group in the U.S. 14% of all American people
Most of the gains the nation has made in translating the constitution's guarantees of equality into a reality for all persons have come out of efforts made by and on behalf of African Americans
Americans were living in territory that became the US. By 1900 that number was 250,000 Has risen to be approximately 6 million today.
American settlers brought diseases that hurt the Indian population and also political agendas that eventually sent Native american westward to live
Poverty, joblessness, and alcoholism plague many reservations today
The Indian Education Act of 1972 attempted to remedy the lives Native Americans, but hasn't been successful- die younger and higher infant mortality rate.
Hispanic Americans- have a Spanish-speaking background
Hispanics can be any race
Hispanics are the largest minority group today- 50 million in the US
Divided into four main sub groups- Mexican Americans, Puetro Ricans, Cuban Americans, Central and South Americans.
Asian Americans- Chinese laborers were the first Asians to come to America in large numbers in the 1850& 1860's - often faced violence because white workers were unhappy
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882- 80 years
WWII - sent all Japanese were evacuated to the Pacific Coast, Even native born
Congress eventually admitted that it was wrong/in just- changed its ways
Women have also been treated unfairly: education, property rights, and employment opportunities
Although women have made major progress, still are not "Equal" to men in numbers- fewer women in high status jobs than men.
It is illegal to pay women less than men if they have the same qualifications
Section 3
- Those who oppose Civil Rights often believe you can't change morality by passing a law.
- Dr. King: "Judicial decrees...may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless."
- 1870s-1950s: no meaningful legislation passed in regards to civil rights.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964: passed after the longest debate in Senate history (83 days). Made changes to the following: 1. Voting provisions. 2. public services (restaurants, hotels, theaters, etc) could no longer deny access based on race, religion, national origin, physical disability, etc. 3. Federal funding programs could not discriminate for those same reasons. 4. Employers and labor unions also could not discriminate for the above reasons.
- Civil Rights Acts of 1968: aka -- "Open Housing Act" -- cannot refuse selling/rent living space to a person due to race, religion, national origin, physical disability, etc. Housing is still one of the most segregated areas in American life today.
- Title IX: forbids discrimination on the basis of gender in any educational program or program regarding financial assistance. Equal funding and opportunities must be given to women athletics
- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION:
- Requires employers take positive steps to fix the affects of past discrimination
- Employers must meet quotas for minority groups/genders.
- Many argue this results in reverse discrimination: discrimination against the majority group; they are denied opportunities so minority groups have more opportunities.
- "Color blind"
- California, Washington, Michigan, and Nebraska voters passed measures to eliminate all affirmative action plans
- The Bakke Case:
- *Allan Bakke sued the University of California because he was denied access to their medicale school due to Affirmative Action (16/100 seats were reserved for minority students). Bakke won the case.
- Since then, the Court has made decisions regarding similar cases: quotas can be used when needed.
- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor predicts in 25 years, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary. No more affirmative action.
