Natives and Strangers: A Multicultural History of Americans

by Leonard Dinnerstein, Roger L. Nichols, David M. Reimers

Now in its fourth edition, Natives and Strangers explores various aspects of minority group history, describing the impact America has had on minority peoples and cultures--and vice versa--and providing some understanding of the different conditions, conflicts, and contradictions that members
of American minority groups experienced. Beginning with the American Indian migration throughout the United States, the book discusses the variety of Indian cultures that Europeans encountered, incorporating the most recent literature on the subject. As in earlier editions, the fourth edition
integrates the experiences of racial, religious, and national minorities, explaining how their histories intertwined with the emergence of modern America. It also explores the far-reaching implications of recent immigration laws, presenting the controversy over multiculturalism in terms of
understanding American history. The authors conclude with reflections on where the nation stands today as an ethnically and racially diverse society.
For the fourth edition, Dinnerstein, Nichols, and Reimers have made extensive revisions. While the previous editions used economic development to organize and tell the history of America's multicultural society, this text focuses much more on ethnic groups themselves, the roles the groups played
in American social developments, and the impact of economic changes on ethnicity. In addition, the authors include more information on the post-1960 period, particularly in regard to immigration and American Indians. They have expanded the discussion of the meaning of such terms as "white" and
"people of color" and have updated all content--especially information on gender, Indian-white contact, and cultural history--by incorporating new findings from recent scholarship. This new edition contains extensive statistics culled from the recently available 2000 U.S. Census report; it features
an explanation of what these latest figures indicate about America's ethnic makeup and revised tables and graphs that reflect this new data. Natives and Strangers, 4/e , is ideal for undergraduate courses covering immigration, American social history, and American ethnic groups.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's definitely not an easy task to condense "minority group experiences," as Dinnerstein, Nichols, and Reimers put it, into a comprehensive, catch-all book that looks at immigration trends, social histories, and ethnic groups in the United States. But I still feel that the authors could have made this book seem less like a running laundry list of statistics and dry facts at times and more like a breathing, living narrative. That said, they do an okay job for trying to cover the entire body of American history while emphasizing the various minority groups and examining global trends and events. They emphasize the xenophobia, racism, and violence that erupted throughout American history against various minority groups that included white ethnic immigrants. One thing I liked was the recycled nativist rhetoric, which came up again and again, that challenged and questioned the unassimilability or American-ness of targeted groups.

I had a few gripes with this book, though. For one, some parts of it seemed carelessly edited. Vincent Chin was killed in 1992? Come on. That's an entire decade off, and a huge problem for students trying to situate Chin's murder in the 1980s when anti-Japanese sentiment was running high. There were other errors like this, and for a book that's well into its fifth edition, I think these kinds of noticeable/important errors and typos were inexcusable. Furthermore, the mention of Malcolm X was totally cursory! He was mentioned in passing with Elijah Muhammed in a note about the rise of the Nation of Islam in the 1960s. The least Dinnerstein et al. could have done was to make the connection between Malcolm's calls for black nationalism to the rise of the Black Panther Party! The point of history is to be making these connections, and I felt this book (at times) became more a list of facts and events than drawing useful connections. For a figure who has been so misrepresented already, I didn't feel like this book did him right.

Oh, and in the afterword, the way the authors conclude the book on a bootstrappy tone ("Nevertheless, most Americans believe that good people, given opportunities, will pick themselves up by their bootsraps, and move on. [...] All that we can be certain of is that ethnicity by itself is no longer an impediment.") seems contrived and overly optimistic given the various instantiations of discrimination and violence that minority groups in America have, and continue to, face. I don't know. Maybe I'm being cynical.

[Susan Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of the most comprehensive, factual, easy to digest volumes on ethnic history that emphasizes the plight of Native Indians, African Americans and all immigrants ever emigrating to America. I learned so much from this small volume packed with just enough data to give you in depth history in Ethnic America. While I do not hold a personal opinion towards the authors and their opinions, I do hold high regard for the data they present to the reader.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend this book for connecting the dots between the many immigrant ethnicities in America because it covers a great deal of time, history, and information in a concise length.

[Saavigi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started reading the 5th edition of this book and in less than one minute was startled by the authors' euphemism that Europeans "sought blacks from Africa to aid them" -- (Sought? Aid?) and together these populations overran the Native American population. (Together?) Literally the 2nd sentence of the preface. As other reviewers have pointed out, this book sweeps quickly and with unchallenged confidence over 100s of years of complex histories of racial and ethnic groups who peopled what became the US. Simplifications and overgeneralizations abound, as well as cultural bias. For example, Indians signed treaties "to bring peace." Enslaved African Americans are described as being perceived as "Sambos or rebels," or "sullen and resentful or ... alternately sullen and uncooperative." Some judicious searching in the index shows scant coverage or recognition of the fact that Mexicans were present throughout the southwest and did not magically disappear with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Indeed, Latinos in general are marginalized from this history of the US and relegated to the book's last chapter, which describes them as "new immigrants" when in fact they were present already in the 1600s when the vast southwest, California, and beyond were Mexico. While there is certainly good information in this book, it is a problematic read with much to unpack.

[Eric Hopkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the facts (dryly presented, but they're there), but there's this whole "bootstraps" mythology that permeates the book like a bad smell. Another way to say it is: yes, it's citing valid sources. But I disagree with it's presentation, and ultimately it's conclusion.

[Aaron Mariasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very academic, but easily digestible. The bite-sized sections made it easily readable. It requires multiple reads and more attention for me to remember the specific numbers, but that’s not a bad thing.

[lexi :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

again read it for my class, and it was interesting to say the least.

[Riley Steelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting and you really see the repativness in history. I think some terms used in the book maybe isn't the most accurate and proper anymore but yeah, interesting.

[Kiki Unhinged · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend this book for connecting the dots between the many immigrant ethnicities in America because it covers a great deal of time, history, and information in a concise length.

[Tami Romo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read / added to Connor's reading list because of border issues... Still stands as relevant when discussing immigrants as the "other" and their journey toward "becoming" an American..

[LA · Rating 3 out of 5]

HIST 8980: Hawes Thematic Studies; Fall 2005;
HIST 6702: Sherman: US History since 1945; Fall 2005