The majority of today’s immigrants to New York City are people of color. The immigrants at the turn of the century were mostly Italian and Jewish, and some cite that as the reason for their success in assimilation, because they did not have to deal with the racial prejudices that immigrants face today. This may not be correct, however. Although Italians and Jews are currently viewed as unquestionably white, a century ago they were seen as distinct from Nordic whites. They were looked at as swarthy, dark, and inferior both physically and mentally. Some “established” whites worried what would happen to the qualities of their race if intermarriage with Italians and Jews were to occur. These statements may sound ludicrous to the modern ear, but that is because race is not a biological fact, but a social construct, and as with all social developments and ideas, it evolves. “Race is a changeable perception,” (Foner, 142) as clearly evidenced by the change in attitude toward “inferior whites” over the past hundred years.
Perhaps, then, today’s immigrants of color can expect similar results. They may even be at an advantage over previous immigrants because while at the turn of the century immigrants moved into a mostly white city, New York City today is one of the most diverse in the world. So while the immigrants may have more of an inherent racial difference, they are also arriving in a New York that is more ready and willing to accept them.
Another example of racial evolution is at work today. Asians are today’s “in-betweens” and are gradually becoming accepted as more white. Because of their “almost white” status, Asians have the easiest time associating with whites, primarily residentially. Asians often live in white neighborhoods, particularly ones that are affluent or middle-class. There is also a high rate of intermarriage between Asians and whites, and white families adopt Asian children more than any other race.
The reason for the Asian “whitening” might be because class-wise they are closer to whites than other minorities. Asian immigrants are more educated than most other immigrant groups and therefore can afford a middle-class lifestyle. This puts them on a more even playing field with whites. They also push their children to achieve high levels of education, ensuring that the social and economic gap grows progressively smaller. After another century has passed, readers may be as shocked to learn that Asians were once considered non-white as we are to read that about Italians.
