Jewish- Americans of the early 20th century and a look at how the Jews Became White

Type :

Research papers

Pages :

3 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

04/21/2008

Category :

History & geography

Sub category :

Modern history

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Summary :

Introduction
Southern and eastern European immigrants
Karen Brodkin's feeling that race is merely a facade
Conclusion
Works cited

Abstract

Race is often viewed as a predetermined feature, one that is fixed in biological terms. In reality however, "race" is not immutable or fixed in biology, but rather something that is fluid, historically relative, and socially constructed. As a result, "It has become Customary among academics to set words like 'race,' 'races,' 'Anglo-Saxons,' or 'whiteness' in undermining quotation marks" (Jacobson 9). The extent of the fluidity of race in America is apparent in the varying numbers of different races reported by scholars, ranging from two to thirty-six. The American ethno racial map- which indicates who is assigned to which pole- has changed dramatically in the early 19th century, resulting in the disappearance of whole races from conscious view, public discussion, and recent memory, while their descendents still walk this earth. In this essay I will explore the rise and fall of one of these "races" in American racial consciousness- the jewish- americans of the early 20th century- and its emergence as Caucasians.