Once again, this week’s readings were kind of like a summary of what I learned about race, and how it affected neighborhoods. However, I never really paid attention to the different races that made the up the large immigration groups. For example, in the 1880s-1920s, most of the immigrants were Italian, East European, and/or Jewish. However, the post-1965 immigration, which is still continuing today, shows an influx of Asian, Latin American, and Carribean countries. Even looking back a decade ago, there have been many changes in the United States Census. One such change included “more than one race,” which shows just how ethnically diverse the country has become. Interestingly enough, “Hispanics” are not considered a race group, as they are multi-racial.
The arrival of these new immigrants in neighborhoods raises the question of whom the neighborhood belongs to. Is it the families who have been living there for generations, or the diverse immigrants who make up the vibrant cultural affairs of that particular neighborhood? Sanjek coins the term “white flight” to describe the Caucasians who left their old neighborhoods because they felt it was being over-populated with immigrants.
