The Multicultural Report
Story of the 2000 census was increased ethnic diversity I. a. In 1990s 13 million immigrants to USA b. Have highest percentage of foreign born residents since 1850 c. Higher birth rates in minority populations
II. Findings for Specific Groups a. African Americans i. Made significant economic gains in the 1990s
1. Will be remembered as the decade African Americans joined the mainstream
2. Still not a widely reported story ii. Integrated the suburbs iii. Began moving back to the old south
III. Hispanics a. Replaced African Americans as the largest minority group

b. Increased from 7% to 13% of the population c. The term Hispanic is still an umbrella term i. 60% are Mexicans ii. By far Mexicans are the largest group iii. 10% are Puerto Ricans iv. Other nationalities represented by smaller percentages d. Also, Hispanics represent all racial categories e. Hispanics are becoming more diverse within there own communities f. Hispanics are scattering throughout the country g. Probably following pattern of earlier immigrant groups of moving up and moving out h. Exactly what it means to be Hispanic may be hard to define with increase intermarrying.
IV. Asians a. Still a very small percent of population b. Appears to be becoming more segregated

c. Greater cultural differences within the group than other groupings i. Hindus, Buddhist, and Muslims among others ii. Arabs, Persians, Hindus, Pacific Islanders, Mongoloids among others d. Enjoy higher income than average American
V. Native Americans a. Small in number 2.5 million plus 2 million who claim mixed ancestry b. Specialized marketing opportunity to Native American companies i. Reservations exempt from certain state and federal laws and taxes
VI. Multiracials a. In past people have been discouraged from identifying themselves as multiracial. b. Growing movement toward such identification c. Phenomena of the young
VII. Important issues for society is whether ethnic identity is growing in importance or diminishing among Americans

Migration Swings
Americans are a very mobile population I. a. 73 million people moved across state lines in the 1990s. b. 13 million migrated from abroad c. 86 million in total
II. Population Gains and Losses a. Domestic migration

i. Most of the western states are experiencing an influx from other states ii. Most of these migrants are from California which is experiencing an outmigration iii. In the east, the southeast and Florida still draw from northeast and Midwest iv. Outmigration from the Great Plains still continues but is small in numbers b. International Migrants i. California and Texas experiencing large influx from Mexico ii. Florida from the Caribbean iii. Large cities in east and Midwest attract immigrants c. Homegrown Havens i. Northeast and Midwest populations largely homegrown ii. More likely to make moves of small distances

Shifting Identities
For most people Ancestry/ethnic origin is a choice variable I. a. We are what we choose to call ourselves at different times in our lives b. Most people are of mixed ancestry c. More people identifying themselves as Americans
II. Ethnic identity appears to be subject to suggestion indicating no true attachment to such identification a. Evidence is increase in ancestry used by census in its examples
REAL POPULATION SHIFTS
Italian ancestry was the first example provided on the Census 2000 questionnaire, which may have increased the response rate of those claiming that ancestry.
2000 1990 DIFFERENCE
%
GROWTH
United States or American
European
Italian
African
Norwegian
Haitian
Jamaican
Portuguese
Brazilian
Finnish
Arab/Arabic
Ukrainian
Yugoslavian
Northern
European
Iranian
Czech
19,643,045
975,632
4,547,291
650,207
681,367
1,311,008
205,019
797,169
261,529
862,416
378,333
184,628
348,741
1,395,867
13,039,560
245,845
3,869,395
289,521
435,024
1,153,351
65,875
658,870
127,364
740,803
257,994
65,993
235,521
1,296,411
6,603,485
1,912,050 466,718 1,445,332
15,903,962 14,664,550 1,239,412
729,787
677,896
360,686
246,343
157,657
139,144
138,299
134,165
121,613
120,339
118,635
113,220
99,456
51%
310%
8%
297%
18%
125%
57%
14%
211%
21%
105%
16%
47%
180%
48%
8%
Source: Census 2000 Supplementary Survey

An All-American Melting Pot
I. Contrasting Theories of American Society a. Melting Pot
The term melting pot refers to the idea that societies formed by immigrant cultures, religions, end ethnic groups, will produce new hybrid social and cultural forms. The notion comes from the pot in which metals are melted at great heat, melding together into new compound, with great strength and other combined advantages. In comparison with assimilation , it implies the ability of new or subordinate groups to affect the values of the dominant group.
Sometimes it is referred to as amalgamation, in the opposition to both assimilation and pluralism . b. Salad Bowl
The salad bowl concept is discussed and the increasing importance of teaching English as a second language (ESL) is examined in this paper. When melting pot theory failed to preserve the values of cultural creativity and diversity of America's many immigrant groups, a new and better idea was born--the notion of the salad bowl. This concept implies that each individual from a different cultural background is encouraged to retain his or her own uniqueness while adding special flavors to enhance the whole. The salad is made richer by the number and variety of its ingredients. c. There is nothing wring with the melting pot theory of the
American culture. In fact, it truly is the only way differing cultures within a society will co-mingle and exchange ideas and customs. Forcing a group of diverse individuals into somewhat of a convergent society is the only way a person's desire to purposely segregate themselves can be overcome. Allowing a country to willfully segregate themselves along racial or ethnic lines will only lead to a balkanization of a society an thus precluding any benefits that a society would gain by the diverseness of the group. i.