50 pages 1 hour read

Matthew Frye Jacobson

Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1998

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race by Matthew Frye Jacobson explores how various European immigrant groups in the United States, initially considered distinct "races," gradually became assimilated into the category of "white" Americans. The book delves into the historical evolution of racial categorization and identity, examining themes such as Shifting Constructions in Whiteness, Property-in-Whiteness, and The Construction of the White/Black Binary. The study underscores the profound material consequences of these shifts, affecting citizenship, privilege, and identity. The text examines systemic racism and refers to outdated racialized terms.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Matthew Frye Jacobson's Whiteness of a Different Color receives praise for its thorough historical analysis of shifting racial identities and its incisive critique of race construction in America. Critics find it academically rigorous but some note it can be dense and challenging for general readers. Overall, it's an essential read for students of race and ethnicity.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Whiteness of a Different Color?

Readers of Whiteness of a Different Color by Matthew Frye Jacobson typically appreciate nuanced explorations of race, ethnicity, and American social history. Similar works include Noel Ignatiev's How the Irish Became White and Nell Irvin Painter's The History of White People. These readers often have an academic interest in critical race theory and immigration studies.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

History: U.S.

Race / Racism

Politics / Government

Themes

Identity: Race

Society: Politics & Government

Values/Ideas: Equality

Genre

Education

Anthropology