美国文化：种族与种族关系【英文】

2015/3/9
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TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
UNIT 9
American Culture
Unit Nine
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States
TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States I have a dream that my four little children will one day in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.
2015/3/9
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TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States
Contrary to the melting pot image, another metaphor recently has been used to describe the American society—salad bowl, where the various racial and ethnic groups have remained somewhat distinct and different from one another, creating a richly diverse country. In this sense, some minority groups have, while becoming Americans in other ways, maintained much of their traditional culture.
—Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur
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Biblioteka Baidu
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TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States
The United States has always been described as a “melting pot” in which many different racial and ethnic groups have assimilated into one culture. The metaphor came from the title of a stage play in 1909 when the United States was experiencing a massive immigration: “America is God’s Crucible, the great melting-pot where all races of Europe are melting and reforming.” Although the media and politicians routinely pay homage to “America, the melting pot,” some critics believe that for much of American history, the “melting pot” concept was largely a myth. While minorities may have altered their national culture, for the most part the melting pot has meant Americanization—conforming to cultural patterns of the mainstream American society.
—Martin Luther King Jr.
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TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States What, then, is the American, the new man? He is either a European, or the descendant of American European… He is an American who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners… Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of man.
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TIANJIN FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY
Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States
The truth probably lies somewhere between these two views. Generally speaking, western European immigrants are more readily merged into the rest of American society than nonwhite ethnic groups, such as Asians or Hispanics who are more likely to retain the language and the customs of their original culture.