50 pages • 1 hour read
Matthew Frye JacobsonWhiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants and the Alchemy of Race
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1998A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
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 The text examines systemic racism and refers to outdated racialized terms.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
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 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.