Natives and Strangers: A History of Ethnic Americans

"Who is an American?" "How does a person who is not an American become one?" Now in its fifth edition, Natives and Strangers: A History of Ethnic Americans addresses these and many other vital questions. A comprehensive and accessible text, this unique volume explores various aspects of American minority group history. Examining the impact that America has had on minority peoples and cultures—and vice versa—it also provides insights into the different conditions, conflicts, and contradictions that members of American minority groups experienced. As in earlier editions, the fifth edition integrates the experiences of various racial, religious, and national minorities from around the globe—including American Indians, African Americans, and immigrants from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and other parts of the world—explaining how their histories intertwined with the emergence of modern America.
Revised, updated, and condensed, the fifth edition of Natives and Strangers incorporates the latest research on such critical topics as American Indian affairs, western American development, and African American experiences. It also focuses on successive waves of different immigrants while exploring the evolution and complexities of American immigration policies. The authors conclude with reflections on where the nation stands today as an ethnically and racially diverse society. Featuring anecdotes, charts, graphs, tables, and an extensive updated bibliography, Natives and Strangers, Fifth Edition, is ideal for undergraduate courses that cover immigration, American social history, and American ethnic groups.

Natives and Strangers, now in its third edition, explores the various aspects of minority group history, describing the impact America had on minority cultures and providing some understanding of the different conditions, conflicts, and contradictions that members of American minority groups experienced. This new edition concentrates on the economic growth and development of social attitudes among different ethnic minorities. Opening with the American Indian migration throughout the United States, via Alaska, the book discusses the variety of Indian cultures the Europeans encountered, incorporating the most recent literature on the subject. As with earlier editions, this newly revised book is careful to integrate the experiences of racial, religious, and national minorities, explaining how their histories intertwined with the emergence of modern America. This text also explores the far-reaching implications of recent immigration laws, presenting the controversy over multiculturalism in terms of understanding American history. The authors conclude with reflections on where the nation stands today as an ethnically and racially diverse society.

About the Authors:
Leonard Dinnerstein is Professor of History at the University of Arizona. Roger L. Nichols is Professor of History at the University of Arizona. David M. Reimers is Professor of History at New York University.