I-Search: How do Immigrants benefit from the civil rights era?

How do immigrants benefit from the civil rights era?

Today Immigration is a hot topic of politics and brings out fear in the average American. Often time we forget the process and focus more on the fears of dangerous migrants invading our nation. We know that the civil rights act uplifted and served to legally give many black Americans equal rights in everyday living, along with other groups of marginalized Americans. A long hard-fought-for change to the law and American society. Which would disrupt the previous identity of black and white and push for a united and diverse American identity. I was looking for a topic that is a byproduct of a large event in American history. One that may have influenced my role in living in the united states today. One of how I greatly benefited from the hard-fought rights of the past generation. For someone such as myself an immigrant from the continent of Africa.

Through further research, I was curious about how else did people benefit from this push for equal rights. Even as to why migrants choose specific locations as today we see major cities home to a diverse collection of Americans with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Initially, my research was just about immigration and how it coincided with each phase of American exclusion of different migrant groups. Then that would lead me to look into the different points of immigration and how migrants would be discriminated against by the law and citizens.

Upon looking for sources, I use what was available to me, the shared databases, and of course google. At first, to help me narrow down my topic, I browsed the database, and then to focus on what to write about I looked for more specific terms. I found letters, books, and documents in some of the collections. One letter that helped me refine my topic was addressed to President Harry S Truman on June 18th, 1952 from Fortune Pope. The matter of the letter was on asking the president to veto the McCarran immigration bill. Being an Italian-American businessman he felt strongly about the immigration bill. President Truman would veto this bill and in favor of amending parts of the bill, although the house and senate would challenge the veto and thus lead to the passing of the bill.

This law change would expand on some elements of the 1917 immigration act, even keeping the quota system and other restrictions. As well as requiring that certain organizations register to the government, and give power to the president to imprison suspected spies during times of “war”. To me, this letter signifies a few things, a step into regressive immigration law, as well as the next phase of immigration. Immigration policy would start to move forward but still kept the very same old system of quotas that aimed to keep the population reflective of the majority. When this law was passed in 1952, then two years later the “civil rights era” would begin even though the fight for civil rights has been going on for many years before that. Leading to the next part of immigration reform through the means of civil rights reform.

Although the bill would start to accept immigrants from all categories of races. Browsing the Jstor collection I found a written piece by Marion T. Bennet from 1966, detailing some of the elements of the bill from 1952 as well as how the bill is changed later on in 1965. This leading me to find my main source on the subject of the Immigration bill and the amendments made over time. Where small changes are made gradually over time, and then during the civil rights era larger and more beneficial changes are added on. Giving immigrants a pathway to citizenship and rights that would be promised to all Americans.

Now having found the introduction to immigration law and civil rights era connection, I needed to find a more concrete connection and how immigration may have played a part in the process of reform. That or looking for sources of post-civil rights immigration. One of those sources being on the Immigration and nationality act of 1965 Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. During president Johnson’s signing he gives in an address on liberty island new york here he says “for over four decades the immigration policy of the United States has been twisted and has been distorted by the harsh injustice of the national origins quota system.” The president acknowledges the quota system and its faults, while also putting in effect a change that would influence future immigration. One focused more on equity and the capability of individuals as well as the focus to reunite families. This being the end of the iconic civil rights era, it was also part of many other changes during this era that would influence how immigrants came to this country and also participated and enjoyed their American rights.

The core focus of all this comes to the civil rights era, where Black Americans would push for change and fairness that would reflect equity and equality for all Americans. Americans that worked with their communities and established a list of demands and changes that should be promised and given to all Americans. None of it was easily obtained as civil unrest and violence would be seen worldwide. A series of protests and boycotts serving to bring to light the issues in the country. A country that has shown the world its’ ability to be a powerhouse on the world stage now faces its crimes to been seen worldwide. It would reveal hypocrisy and embarrassment for the American government as the need to bring justice and safety would pressure for the much-needed change. Changes that would be universal for all Americans and would easily apply to future immigrants who would eventually become naturalized citizens. The process of obtaining these rights didn’t happen overnight. It took time and much hardship. Painful experiences and loss. Each leading to new possibilities and approaches to the situation that Black Americans faced as well as the other marginalized groups throughout the years.

Going over the different sources I went through, I was able to see how each step played a part in the development of immigration policy. From fear tactics driving lawmakers to make oppressing laws, to next-generation administration focusing on equity and fairness over time. While they don’t seem to relate right away, the process of restrictive immigration law to a more just law can be seen as the previous generation worked toward ensuring fairness for all Americans, and that included immigrants. I was looking for a simple answer, and in some ways, I can just say everything benefited the future generation of immigrants. Perhaps Previous immigrants and exposure to them, may have lead to empathy for immigrants and have softened the hearts of Americans over time and helped to unite more Americans to strive for these changes in the first place.

Going over all the information, it is much more clear to me how exactly immigrants benefit from the civil rights era. From the Removal of restrictive immigration policy, To more equitable and fair methods of selecting candidates to participate in the immigration process. New and fruitful ways to gain fair rights as permanent residents, Along with the guarantee of equality and the voting rights that is set as the right for all Americans. Here is a country that has gradually over time made way for more just laws, even though it took some time and was hard fought for. Even how previous immigrants may have played a small part in trying to help convince lawmakers to stop unjust laws from passing. The answers I found played into the reasons I wanted to understand this question. How do Immigrants benefit as well as myself as I fit into this category? The possibilities open for me are also due in part to the past generation's efforts to bring about these changes to immigration and civil rights as well as voting rights. All shaping my status as an American citizen today that started as an immigrant.

Sources:

Primary Source: Fortune Pope to President Harry S. Truman. catalog.archives.gov/id/57140211.

Secondary Source: Library, LBJ Presidential. “LBJ on Immigration.” Upon Signing the Immigration Bill of 1965, President Johnson Said That It Was One of the Most Important Acts of His Administration - LBJ Presidential Library, www.lbjlibrary.org/lyndon-baines-johnson/timeline/lbj-on-immigration.

Sources:

Bennett, Marion T. “The Immigration and Nationality (McCarran-Walter) Act of 1952, as Amended to 1965.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 367, 1966, pp. 127–136. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1034850. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.

“Social Protests.” Constitutional Rights Foundation, www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/social-protests.