Changing Race Essay Research Paper Jon Meacham

Changing Race Essay, Research Paper

Jon Meacham recently said, ? Everyday in every corner of America, we are redrawing the color lines and redefining what race really means. As we approach the end of this Millennium year, many are thinking, ?What is race?? Is it still two distinct divisions; white and non-white? Many think that it is not. If this is true, how will people treat each other if there is not a distinction anymore? These questions are coming up everywhere.

America is no longer ?black vs. white?. We are in what many call the Age of Color. (Where it is not about the distinction between black and white, but many colors.) New colors and races are appearing due to overlapping race mixtures. Many families today have different ethnicity backgrounds. One family mentioned in an article in Newsweek said that they have seven, not counting other possible connections through past relatives. For example, one boy who had a mixed descent always said that he was white. When he came to the diverse city of Los Angeles, he said that he was mixed: ?It is cool to be mixed.?

Los Angeles is the center of focus for changing races and race relations. The white majority just became the white minority. Recently, the Hispanics and other races took over to become the majority. Other cities and states like Washington D.C and Hawaii have had a white minority for longer. Our nation?s capital was at a 29% white minority when the last census was taken. In contrast, states in New England and the western plains areas have a high white majority population. Vermont alone has 97.6% whites. According to the census predictions, that will soon change. In the next 50 years, the census predicts that Hispanics will increase 197% while the whites will only increase 6%. The Pacific Islanders and Asians are expected to increase 209%. These numbers are expected to give the non-whites the majority. In 1860, there were only 3 census categories. Today there are over 30. (Eleven of which belong to the Hispanic race). This is understandable when you come to learn that Mexicans have the largest number of immigrants coming to America. They are the number one race in over half of the states. Due to more Hispanics, there are an increase of intergroup marriages. Fifty-two percent of intergroup marriages are White-Hispanic.

If non-whites gain the majority, what will happen to race relations? (Hopefully, a greater tolerance of differences.) This will bring a better sense of togetherness that this country has lacked. Even now, as a white majority, whites are sometimes not the most demanded race in the workforce. Many high-tech labs are asking the government to grant a larger number of visas because they are in need of people who excel in math and science. China has produced a rather large surplus of people who have amazing math and science skill. In Nashville, the city is in need of 911 operators who are fluent in Spanish. Other departments claim that they work with a very diverse team. One company said that in their workday they hear Arabic, Spanish, Polish, and Italian. This diversity is like a whole new country for youth growing up in today?s society.

Although our society is becoming something that many of us are not familiar with, this mixing of new races could be bringing us together. There are still major problems with many races and their relations. African Americans, Chinese, Hispanics, and many other races are still subjected to racial profiling. This happens especially in the Midwest where the whites are a strong majority. Not only is racial profiling a problem for the nonwhites, politics has created a new situation as well. Politics is a major factor with new races. The people may vote for the candidates that promise the most for people that are like they are. This is going to change the style of politicians. They will have to put effort into connecting with other races. They will need to focus on things that will improve the lives of the diverse people of this country.

As mixing only continues, what will race mean in the next few decades? What happens in these future years will set the tone for what it will mean when nonwhites become the majority and the whites become the minority. The color of your skin should not define how others perceive you. The future of race relations is not in the difference of races but in the wholeness of the human race.

Alana Durland

Information from this article was taken from Newsweek. ? The New Face of Race?, by Jon Meacham. Some statistics were taken from a chart that can be found on page 48 of the September 18, 2000 issue

Alana Durland

The New Face of Race Notes

?Everyday in every corner of America, we are redrawing the color lines and redefining what race really means?

I.Age of Color

1.Not black or white divisions

2.Many mixings leave the question- who/what am I?

3.1860 census- 3 categories

4.Today 30?11 Hispanic

5.Mixings in LA

II.Majority to Minority

1.In CA whites became minority?49.9%

2.Hawaii, New Mexico, and Washington D.C have a white minority

3.A new country is coming out?more mixings?different society

4.2010?Hispanics * Blacks

5.2050 Asians will double

6.2050 whites only 53%

III.New Races and Work

1.Need diverse people handle diverse pe

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