Ethnic Diversity

The United States has always been a country of immigrants. Although the original settlers coming to our shores were primarily from England, other small groups originated from France, Spain, and Holland. After 150 years building the 13 original colonies, or states, independence was established and the United States of America was organized. As the country grew, opportunity was abundant, immigrants flocked to America. These people came from many European countries. They brought with them their language, customs, religion, talents, and beliefs. As one can imagine this influx of many new people brought a richness to society and well as problems. Three neighbors each speaking their own language, ideas of government, social conventions, etc. These neighbors adjusted to each other because they needed to, but mainly they wanted to become “Americans.” They were prepared to leave their Old World behind and become citizens in the New World.

In my opinion, wanting to become citizens in the new world and Americans has been the secret of ethnic diversity in the United States. Many use the term “melting pot” to describe the results of the transformation. Some like to use the term “salad bowl” to picture this process and in many ways this is correct because many nationalities keep their special holidays, dances, traditions and in many cases language, particularly in first or second generation. However, by the third generation this is diminished. My grandmother and grandfather came from Germany in 1840-50 and settled on a farm in Missouri in the Midwest of the USA. Most of their neighbors were immigrants from Germany so their customs and practices were continued. Their children, my father and mother, were educated in the public schools learned English, American history and government. Through their jobs and business, moving to other non German areas receded from the Old Days and became thoroughly American. I never learned German as a language and my parents never spoke it except when they had something we children didn’t want to know about, such as, Christmas presents.

This process of integration has continued for two hundred years often with different groups coming from different countries than before. In 1890-1910, large settlers came from Italia, Russia. China, Serbia, etc. After one generation they again became part of the melting pot. In recent years new people have arrived from Asian countries, Africa, South America and of course, Mexicans. In the last thirty years there has been a large influx of men and women coming from Mexico, the country south of the United Sates. Many of these people have come into the country illegally, some by swimming the Rio Grande River, which is the border between Mexico and the United States. Although this large group has begun to integrate, the process is slower partially because with the number of Mexicans in the country they are not forced to learn English rapidly and thus integrate with others. They have Spanish speaking TV and radio stations, etc.

One large group has until recently not been permitted to become part of the melting pot has been the negro population. They were brought to the US as slaves and continued that way until 150 years ago when they were freed. However, they were largely uneducated and possess limited skills other than those used in farming. Because of their “color,” lack of skills and education and other reasons they were decremented against and segregated. Some integration occurred in northern US cities but in the south, where most of the black people lived, discrimination prevented any integration. In recent years this is changing.

The ethnic diversity of America will continue to evolve as long as people view the opportunity in the United States to be better than in their home countries and the US remains open to new residents. It should be noted many countries do not permit any immigration. To many people of the World, the United States is still of the land of opportunity!!!