NCW Libraries

Is race only about the color of your skin? In The Latinos of Asia, Anthony Christian Ocampo shows that what "color" you are depends largely on your social context. Filipino Americans, for example, helped establish the Asian American movement and are classified by the U.S. Census as Asian. But the legacy of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines means that they share many cultural characteristics with Latinos, such as last names, religion, and language....

"In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Chicken Hill was where Moshe and...

"As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power--which groups have it and which do not. In this book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories...

"An in-depth look at the many ways immigration has redefined modern America ... This deeply researched book by one of America's leading immigration scholars tells the story of how immigrants are fundamentally changing this country. An astonishing number of immigrants and their children--nearly eighty-six million people--now live in the United States. Together, they have transformed the American experience in profound and far-reaching ways that go...

"A book on how Western nations are often blamed for history's atrocities, while all nations have tarnished histories. This is a thorough argument in the defense of Western values and history"-- It is now in vogue to celebrate non-Western cultures and disparage Western ones. Murray shows inconsistent anti-West rhetoric is in part an intellectual fraud perpetuated by hostile nations and human rights abusers hoping to distract from their own ongoing...

"Nationally bestselling author Julissa Arce interweaves her own story with cultural commentary in a powerful polemic against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants in America. Instead, she calls for a celebration of our uniqueness, our origins, our heritage, and the beauty of the differences that make us Americans. "You sound like a white girl." These were the words spoken to Julissa by a high school crush as she...

"Following the alphabet this book uses poetry and expository text to celebrate America's diverse population and showcase the remarkable achievements and contributions that have come from the many people who have chosen to make our country their home. Topics include well-known landmarks and famous citizens"--Provided by the publisher.

"[The author] tells the stories of twelve mixed-blood women who, steeped in the tradition of their Indian mothers but forced into the world of their white fathers, fought to find their identities in a rapidly changing world. In an era when most white women had limited opportunities outside the home, these mix-blood women often became nationally recognized leaders in the fight for Native American rights. They took the tools and training the whites...

"Recent immigrants to the United States usually cannot read or speak English. Few are educated; some struggle to sign their own name. Yet they are able to do things many Americans have forgotten: to find joy in what others might find mundane; to work hard for very little while hoping for a better future; to love, accept, and support their families no matter what; and to place a higher value on relationships than possessions." "Based on exchanges she...

Maps the influence of America's Hispanic past, from the explorers and conquistadors who helped colonize Puerto Rico and Florida, to the missionaries and rancheros who settled in California and the 20th-century resurgence in major cities like Chicago and Miami.