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When I watch old tv shows of the 50/60's, all we really see is the lifestyles of mostly white families. Once in a blue moon, we see blacks and we hear how segregation and racism was bad and so forth for them. What I never see/read/ or hear about it how was it like for the other minorities specifically the Asians and Hispanics during that time? Were they facing the same problems as the blacks back then? How was life for them during that period?
When I watch old tv shows of the 50/60's, all we really see is the lifestyles of mostly white families. Once in a blue moon, we see blacks and we hear how segregation and racism was bad and so forth for them. What I never see/read/ or hear about it how was it like for the other minorities specifically the Asians and Hispanics during that time? Were they facing the same problems as the blacks back then? How was life for them during that period?
Asians were dealing with a lot of the same things blacks were. The Asians were dealing with similar issues on the West Cost while the blacks were dealing with things in the south.
What I never see/read/ or hear about it how was it like for the other minorities specifically the Asians and Hispanics during that time? Were they facing the same problems as the blacks back then? How was life for them during that period?
Similar, but not the same by a order of magnitudes. But it is no historical secret that not only did Asians, and Hispanics, more specifically the Chinese and Mexicans, suffered from extreme acts of discrimination and racism so did virtually every immigrant group that came to these shores. Cataloging the discrimination that each group would be deserving of a separate thread for each group, so I feel inadequate to answer the question to any degree that the subject deserves.
Mexican-Americans had to form their own veterans' organization called the "American G.I. Forum" after a funeral home in a small south Texas town in the 1940s refused to bury a Hispanic soldier who was killed during World War II.
Hispanics were and are considered white. They weren't really discriminated against and went to the same schools as white kids did, at least this was the case in my town. I don't know about Asians though.
Weren't Latin American immigrants considered "Spanish", as in "Spanish Harlem" and the oldest "Spanish" restaurant in the nation in Tampa (forgot the name), which actually serves Cuban food?
When I watch old tv shows of the 50/60's, all we really see is the lifestyles of mostly white families. Once in a blue moon, we see blacks and we hear how segregation and racism was bad and so forth for them. What I never see/read/ or hear about it how was it like for the other minorities specifically the Asians and Hispanics during that time? Were they facing the same problems as the blacks back then? How was life for them during that period?
You need to watch some old Spanky and Our Gang reruns. "Buckwheat" was a little black boy, and so darned cute.
Black folks were already here in the U.S., they weren't "immigrants per se unless they came directly from another country.
Other minorities came over legally through the legal process via Immigration and Naturalization Service from their native countries, and it had to be extremely difficult for them to uproot, some left family members behind, there were "quotas" (and I believe there still is) of how many can immigrate from certain countires and they had to have a destination. That is how they formed various enclaves in and around areas where there was a concentration in various states. Italians tended to be drawn to NY. Germans, Polish to the midwest, Michigan; Portuguese to New England states near the ocean; etc. And so on.
Many had relatives already here who had lined up jobs for them and helped them assimilate. Canadians migrated in droves to the northeast to work in the textile mills for example, as did other nationalities, even younger children worked in the mills. They lived with relatives until they could save enough to get their own apartments, etc. There were "pocket" areas where immigrants settled and worked in jobs according to what their talents were, such as restaurants, building trades, artists, musicians, and so forth.
Other minorities came over legally through the legal process via Immigration and Naturalization Service from their native countries, and it had to be extremely difficult for them to uproot, some left family members behind, there were "quotas" (and I believe there still is) of how many can immigrate from certain countires and they had to have a destination. That is how they formed various enclaves in and around areas where there was a concentration in various states. Italians tended to be drawn to NY. Germans, Polish to the midwest, Michigan; Portuguese to New England states near the ocean; etc. And so on.
Not anymore. There were quotas from the Immigration act of 1924, namely to keep Eastern and Southern Europeans out. This was also part of why so many Jews were trapped in Europe during the holocaust. With that said the quota system was removed in 1965 with the Hart Cellar act.
There was an immigration of 1965 that allowed many Asians and non-westerners to enter the US . There was a preference for; professionals, scientist and artist of exceptional ability. As a result of this many of those that came were professionals and educated which accounts for why they have done better economically than minorities who were already in the America's, i.e, South Americans, Mexicans, African Americans, and Native Americans. The 1965 Immigration Act : Asian-Nation :: Asian American History, Demographics, & Issues
When I watch old tv shows of the 50/60's, all we really see is the lifestyles of mostly white families. Once in a blue moon, we see blacks and we hear how segregation and racism was bad and so forth for them. What I never see/read/ or hear about it how was it like for the other minorities specifically the Asians and Hispanics during that time? Were they facing the same problems as the blacks back then? How was life for them during that period?
Remember in the 50 and 60s other than blacks there were not a lot of people living in America that were minorities. Well there were the war brides and yes, families that had immegrated a few decades ago, but not that many. Now, how was is for therm? All I can say is: we had 2 Asian familes in our high school. Both were well accepted even though one was Japanese. If fact the boy was pres of our high school senior class and is little sister was into every extra activity there was. We had a family from Italy, Hugo spoke no English when they came to America in 1946. He and his older sister were completely accepted. Because I grew up in Los Angeles we did have a large populatio of Mexicans. Again, as long as they were not gang members, which we didn't have in our community they were treated pretty much like everyone else. My husband lived in east San Gabriel Valley and there were many Mexicans. He said they were not discriminated against for the most part. Probably there is more discrimination now because of all the illegals. BTW, I love the way we use the word "HIspanic" now, I don't think the word existed in the 50s. When you mention minorities I am assuming you are referring to those other than families from no Europe, right?
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"Buckwheat" was a little black boy, and so darned cute.
