The lives of immigrants in the United States were defined by the struggle to find their place in society. Harsh working conditions, racism, language barriers, and cultural differences were among the main problems that people from other countries had to face when coming to America. Nevertheless, immigrant communities persevered and became an integral part of US history. The present paper analyzes the experiences of immigrants from Japan, China, and Mexico, as well as the history of Black Americans in the North.
At the turning point between the 19th and 20th centuries, many men from China, Japan, and Korea moved to the US to find jobs, but the countries instituted severe limitations on immigration. In 1907, negotiations resulted in the Gentlemen’s Agreement, which allowed women to leave Japan as family members (Takaki, 2008). This led to the appearance of Picture Brides – women who immigrated by marrying a man from another country with the help of a matchmaker after exchanging photographs. This loophole allowed women to leave their home country and move to the US.
As Japanese immigrants arrived in the US, they were met with great hostility. However, in Hawaii, a new addition to the US, business owners needed cheap labor, and Japanese immigrants quickly became a major part of the local population. They worked long hours in the fields raising sugar cane. The manual work was difficult while the pay was small, and workers’ lives were under the strict supervision of business owners (Takaki, 2008). Moreover, white management did not pay equal wages to people from different countries, often inciting conflict between immigrant groups.
Nisei, the children of immigrant parents from Japan, also faced many challenges in the US. From an early age, Nisei were exposed to racial attacks from their white schoolmates and peers (Takaki, 2008). As adults, they struggled to find a good job, although many of them had a good education. Nisei also had to deal with cultural issues as they embodied two distinct identities: an American and a Japanese.
Chinese immigrants arrived in the US to find jobs and escape poverty in their own country. Similar to other immigrant laborers, they worked challenging jobs, such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and garment production (Takaki, 2008). Chinese women faced problems both as foreigners and women, as patriarchy and racial segregation dictated their place in society (Takaki, 2008). However, as Chinese women started coming to America, they also began working – sewing garments, embroidering, making cigarettes, and cooking. Many women were also brought in as prostitutes, forced into it, and controlled by men.
The history of racism and slavery divided the US into two parts in African Americans’ eyes. Many viewed the North as the Promised Land because of its better opportunities for Black people. Northern jobs offered numerous benefits, including higher pay than Southern jobs by as much as twofold (Takaki, 2008). Factors like sharecropping, the agricultural depression, and flooding facilitated the exodus. Many runaway slaves headed North, where they found sanctuary and became known as the Promised Land.
As a result of the migration, such places as New York became central hubs for African Americans’ cultural lives. The Harlem Renaissance was the expansion of art, literature, and music in African-American culture and became a foundation for civil rights and social change. Some of the famous artists were Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday, and Josephine Baker. Their integration into the art scene of New York has inspired people to fight for their rights and demand equality.
Washington, Du Bois, and Garvey were visionaries, authors, and activists who proposed alternative approaches to fighting racism. Washington maintained that African Americans must better themselves through means such as higher education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship to improve society (Takaki, 2008). Du Bois acknowledged the need to strive to better oneself but argued that this should not be done at the expense of preceding one’s immediate rights as a complete citizen. Lastly, Garvey was a black nationalist who believed in separatism and thought black people in the United States would never be treated equally.
Political exiles and refugees of war sought safety in the United States during the Mexican Revolution. Rural Mexicans also migrated to urban regions in pursuit of economic opportunity and security (Takaki, 2008). In response, there was a dramatic increase in the number of Mexicans moving to the United States. The lack of economic opportunity is often cited as a driving force behind Mexican immigration to the United States. In contrast, the economic benefits of living in the United States are often cited as a driving force behind lax or futile border control policies.
Generally, many Southwest professions, such as ranching, quarrying, and mining, were originally staffed by Mexican immigrants or their descendants. In addition, Mexican immigration placed a premium on the expanding rail network in the United States. As a result, the railroad business relied on low-wage workers from Mexico for a long time. After arriving in America, they were met with brutal climates, unstable economies, and the threat of violence from both established communities and Native Americans.
As can be seen from the history of immigration in the United States, people from races and ethnicities who were not perceived as white struggled to find good jobs and build a prosperous life. Racism, cultural differences, and harsh working conditions created many issues for immigrants and their children born as American citizens. Still, they persevered and built strong communities, contributing to the development of the American economy, art, and culture.
Reference
Takaki, R. (2008). A different mirror: A history of multicultural America. Back Bay Books.