Racial Diversity: Historical Worksheet Essay

†¢ Throughout most of U.S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? White Americans are the majority in every region, but comprise the highest proportion of the population in the Midwestern United States. Hispanic Whites make up 79% of the Midwest’s population, the highest ratio of any region. However, 35% of White Americans whether all White Americans or non-Hispanic/Latino only live in the South, the most of any region. The common ancestral background being European. Another statistic shows that White Americans are the majority in forty-nine of the fifty states, with Hawaii as the exception. The District of Columbia, which is not a state, also has a non-white majority †¢ What are some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? There are 3 major examples of minority groups who came to the United States under similar circumstances and for similar reasons. These racial groupings come from Asia, Africa and Central America. Each of these groups come from countries undergoing a great deal of turmoil (Africa being subjugated under colonialism, China under imperial rule, and central america undergoing a terror in the form drug cartels undermining the government and the government repressing the citizenry as a result). Each became a more notable minority when they were able to move beyond being a source of inexpensive labour and a large proportion of the migrant population gain citizenship and become enfranchised (gain the right to vote). †¢ In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? †¢ In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? Affirmative action of the courts and prison systems which discriminates against Blacks and Hispanics, gives them 20% longer sentences, targets their neighborhoods, racially profiles, weakens minority neighborhoods electorally, created the culture of fatherless homes as a reaction to the Civil Rights Movement, fills prisons with low-level offenders for petty drug offenses, with illegal searches and in some states; where those crimes have been decriminalized anyways and disproportionately targets minority youths in instances where white youths would be dealt with informally. SOURCES: