"This is not a matter of political correctness. This is a matter of understanding just what it is that makes us strong. The world respects us not just for our arsenal; it respects us for our diversity, and our openness, and the way we respect every faith."
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​— President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address, 2016

A Nation of Immigrants: Nativism in U.S. History

The history of the United States is, with the notable exception of the indigenous peoples in this country, a history of immigrants. As waves of immigrants arrived, they were met with waves of nativism, efforts to protect the population that was already present from being diluted. These nativist efforts were generally motivated by varying degrees of economic and political concerns as well as the desire to maintain a certain racial, religious, and/or ethnic homogeneity within the population. Over the course of American history, notions of “us” vs. “them” emerged and the nature of “us” and “them” were constantly redefined, depending on which populations had been more successfully accepted while others remained marginalized.

​In this module, we have identified case studies that represent moments of nativism in the history of the United States. They include:

Step One: Hook
Begin this lesson by showing your class the video on the left that provides a brief overview of nativism in United States history (2:08). After watching the video, ask your students if they can think of any other examples of nativism throughout our history? Who are the people that are most affected by nativism? How does it affect those people? Why do these attitudes develop in the first place?

You may follow up this introductory video with another that is focused on one of our case studies, the internment of Japanese Americans. You can show them this Popeye cartoon (7:06) from the 1940s to show them how the "other" is viewed.

​Follow the cartoon with a discussion: What is the story of the cartoon? How does the cartoon portray Japanese people? Why were Japanese people portrayed in this way? Can you think of other examples when groups of people have been unfairly portrayed? 

Step Two: Videos and Other Teacher Resources
Follow up your discussion by watching the winning video of the Speak Truth to Power Video contest "How to Be An American Muslim" on left (4:34) that highlights the work of human rights leader Dalia Mogahead.

We have compiled a set of editable resources for each of the case studies and a supplemental PowerPoint. The sets include primary and secondary sources, including pictures, political cartoons, song lyrics and links to audio, and a brief introduction about the specific case study. Each of the documents containing the case studies is linked in the list above and also can be accessed here: Marginalization of Irish Immigrants; Red Summer Riots of 1919; Native American boarding schools; Japanese Internment; Zoot Suit Riots; Anti-Muslim Attitudes Post 9/11. 

Step Three: Standards-Based Exercise

Picture
Print out the materials from the case studies that you would like to use for your lesson. Create work stations around your classroom with the documents from each case study. Provide each student with this worksheet we have created that builds upon the Anatomy of Nativism PowerPoint. Each student should choose one of the provided documents and complete the worksheet (5-10 minutes). The students should then share their findings with their group and discuss how the “vital organs” contribute to the “reproductive organs.” If time allows, have the students rotate throughout the various work stations or have the students present their findings to the class.
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In order to connect the past to the present, we suggest having your students complete the same worksheet at home based on the Syrian refugee crisis. You can provide them with some of these materials to take home as documents for their case study. We also recommend having your students complete the Refugee Diary Assignment and follow up in the next lesson with the interactive smart board-friendly site from the BBC, “Syrian Journey: Choose your own Escape Route."

Step Four: What Can Students Do?

By providing your students with the tools to take action, you send a powerful message of hope. With that in mind, you are encouraged to reach out to your local refugee center to see if they have a need for items that your students can donate. ​Having a gently-used shoe drive is a great place to start. Likewise, you may also want to have your class stage a Walkathon for overseas refugees, donating the proceeds to a group that provides relief on the ground.

Ask your students to take a basic pledge to:
  • Promote respect for diversity and multicultural interaction
  • Encourage political, community and cultural leaders to speak out to promote respect for all, and  to condemn manifestations of racism and xenophobia
  • Encourage media to emphasize positive images of diversity and of migration to eliminate negative stereotyping
  • Incorporate multi-cultural and diversity training in educational curricula
  • Mobilize civil society cooperation in promotion, implementation and monitoring of anti-discrimination standards

Additional Resources

  • I Am Syria Program: Started in 2012 by AFT members in Buffalo, New York, the goal of the I Am Syria Program is to provide educational materials that help students understand how the conflict started, how it affects the Syrian people, and how classes can reach out to support refugee relief. It allows your students to fight back against nativism by encouraging empathy and respect for the dignity of all people.
  • Visualizing the Red Summer includes an interactive timeline of the events around the country, a map of the riots, and an archive with several primary source documents.
  • Densho’s Mission is a site to preserve the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. It offers irreplaceable firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy, and promote equal justice for all.
  • PBS created an interactive guide to the Zoot Suit Riots that features a film, a timeline, a gallery, and a teacher's guide with several primary sources. 
  • The American Indian Relief Council has created a website that provides information about students forced to attend harsh boarding schools and several other aspects of history when Native Americans faced nativist attitudes. 

AFT Resources