Article Review On Reading Response

In his piece, Models of American Ethnic Relations: A Historical Perspective, George M. Fredrickson talks about the ‘burden of otherness.’ In this context, he refers to racial inequality and how anyone other than White Americans are ‘others’ and are therefore treated as such. Furthermore, they are made to feel like ‘others’ and this can have a massive impact on a person’s self-confidence and sense of identity. Historically in America, racial interaction intensely hindered the Indians and Blacks as the most obvious distinction between people was whether they were white or not white. Previous to World War II, this hierarchy was also based on immigrants, mainly Irish, and Protestant over Catholics, but after, it was solely based on color. The burden of otherness is an interesting concept as it truly is a burden to be considered so different and such an outsider.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the article, for me, was the one in which Fredrickson discussed one-way assimilation. This is the notion that as a recompense for equal opportunity and inclusion in American society, ‘others’ should fit in with existing culture in America. Fredrickson pointed out that one-way assimilation was more apparent during the western movement. People enrolled Indian children into boarding schools in an effort to educate them on fitting into the culture of America. Furthermore, slaves were required to fit in with American culture once they had been released. I enjoyed learning that many Blacks and Indians did not agree with the idea of losing their native cultures and so they resisted, launching movements such as Black Power.