In chapter five Foner builds on an idea we have already discussed in class: Immigrants from the West Indies and Afro-Carribean countries, who look black on the surface, do not want to categorized with the native-born blacks.  This is because the native-born blacks are at the bottom of the social hierarchy in New York City and are subject to much discrimination, poverty, and poor schooling.  The immigrants come to America looking for a better life, not one of constant struggle for identity and equality.  Their aspirations are understandable. Yet, the West Indians complain that they have to rigorously proclaim their ethnic pride and linguistic differences in order to avoid being seen as native-born black.  This is unfair, but, how are Americans supposed to know that a West Indian is not a native-born black before speaking to him or her? Judging based solely on looks, which obviously has its own problems, they look just like the native-born blacks.  Lest they wear patches that indicate that they are West Indian, but, everyone knows that such identification with a symbol has only negative consequences.

The West Indians are initially not accepted due to racism. Americans are obsessed with skin color and the West Indians are perceived as black.  However, arbitrary racism based on physical features does not hold as tenaciously as one would think.  According to the testimony Foner presented, many of the West Indian immigrants claimed they were treated better when they expressed their culture as distinct from that of the native-born blacks. This leads to a very simple question that Foner does not address. Why? If Americans are intent on basing a person’s character only on skin color, then all those who look black, including the West Indians, Afro-Carribeans, and black hispanics, should be discriminated against.

Yet, this is not true. Only the native-born blacks face the worst racism.  This must be based on something other than skin color. What is inherent to the the native-born blacks, and no other group that makes them so hated? Is it the poverty many of them live in as opposed to the wealth some of the West Indian immigrants come to America with? The poor education the native-born blacks inevitably receive because of where they are living as opposed to the better education the West Indians received before coming to America?  All of this is true, but there is also the history associated with the native-born blacks.  After hundreds of years of slavery, the idea that the native-born blacks are now equal to everyone else contradicts and denies the idea that one group can be better than another.  The whites, who might be ready to end slavery and even racism based on race, are not ready to give up their coveted position in society.  Therefore, the racism and discrimination towards the native-born blacks continues, not necessarily because of their skin color, but because giving them equal rights destroys everything the whites built their society on in America, being better than everyone else.  Tolerating or at least somewhat understanding the West Indians will not threaten the white elite status, so long as they can continue being better than at least one group of people that are not immigrants, but born in America, the native-born blacks.