Hispanic, Asian and Native Americans

Hispanic American

Hispanics traditionally remained ghettoised; either in rural and urban areas. Little to do with federal government.
Began to change following Black Civil Rights Movement.
1978 - 7.2 million Hispanics (Located mainly in South-West i.e. Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas).
Hispanics rejected Mexican-American name for 'Chicanos'.
1970 - 85% in cities (mainly LA - 1 million).
Hispanics still being under-represented in state and city legislature.

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Asian Americans (Chinese and Japanese) sufferred racial prejudice and legal discrimination (especially during WW2.
Also suffered severe hate campaigns during WW2.
Remained isolated from political process.
Most significant advances economically.

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Population doubled 1945-1980: nearly 2 million.
Biggest concentrations in Oklahoma, Arizona and California (west of the Mississippi).
Previously large rural population - now majority live in cities.
Urban Indians struggled to adapt to 'modern' society.
Poverty, unemployment, poor housing and education even worse than Black Americans.
High suicide rates - felt culture was despised by Whites.
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) first pan-Indian organisation (1944).
Sued state and federal governments over discrimination in employment and education and for breaking long-term treaties (e.g. Passamaquodoy v Morton - 1972).

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'Red Power' coined in 1969, by Vine Deloria Jr.
1969 - 14 demonstrators offerred to sell Alcatraz Island for $24 (same as what the Dutch paid for New York in 1626).
American Indian Movement (AIM) staged armed confrontation with federal officials at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
AIM founded in ghetto in Minneapolis.
Tried to get improvements in housing, education and employment in ghettoes and reservations.

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Johnson and Nixon supported economic and political self-determination for Indians.
Johnson's War On Poverty helped Indians greatly.
1969 - Nixon appointed Louis R. Bruce (Mohawk-Sioux) as Commissioner for Indian Affairs.
Nixon promised tribes greater autonomy.
Tourism has economically helped Indians in last 25 years.

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Issue of self-determination and self-government remains complex.
Even when self-determination has been practised, later Supreme Court decisions have impinged them.
Supreme Court declared that "the power to tax is an essential attribute of Indian Sovereignty" states (e.g. Oklahoma) have challenged it over state cigarette taxation.
Whites have clashed with Indians over gambling, water an fishing rights - tension still exists.

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