When I refer to myself solely as an American – without any reference to my family’s ethnicity – I mainly do so to indicate two points: my birthplace, and my political freedom. I used to utilize the unhyphenated “American” title in order to differentiate myself from my foreign-born grandparents. Although I am also Irish and Italian like my elder relatives, I assumed that a simple label would culturally distinguish me from them, since I saw “American” as a culture in itself. This idea regarding the separation of family ethnicity and native birthplace has changed after consulting the readings, however.
Ashley brought up the point that immigrants in America have not exactly blended together as if in a “melting pot”; rather, they have maintained their individual and traditional values, as if in a “salad bowl”. I strongly agree with this statement; this clever analogy explains the existence of hyphenated titles in our country. Immigrants typically followed this categorization in order to maintain an identity while in a new and strangely diverse land. They indeed attempted to engage in American activities and contribute their own ideas to its development, therefore prompting the continual growth of “Americanization” (Gerstle gives the example of traditional immigrants embracing mass culture by participating in dances and attending local movies). However, they never entirely let go of their past, for it soon determined their social status. Color, according to Morrison, initiated Americans to “alienate” themselves from each other – in particular, whites against the “savagery” of non-whites.
This physical division is deeply rooted in our nation’s history, as Greg noted in his post. Caucasians with Angelo-Saxon ties declared that they were ordained to take over lands around them, because their governmental and commercial skills made them eligible. According to Horsman, “Americans found comfort in the strength and status of a distinguished racial heritage.” Likewise, immigrants in America in general found security in having an identity. Unfortunately, this caused the mixture of strangers to clash with one another over time; Gerstle mentioned how the Irish did not want to associate with those of dark skin because their wages were almost as equally low.
This week’s collection of readings made me realize that those in the United States – myself included – usually do not separate ethnicity and birthplace. They remain loyal to their cultural identity, and hold true to their American title as well. Realizing this, I now understand why my grandparents made the decisions they did about where to live in New York City – those with similar identities helped each other remain strong to their heritage while embracing the uncertainties of a new world.
