Working Toward Whiteness

Working Toward Whiteness examines how European immigrants in early 20th century America transformed from being considered ethnic minorities into being accepted as "white." The book focuses on immigrant groups from Southern and Eastern Europe who faced discrimination and were viewed as racially distinct from Anglo-Saxon Americans. Through historical records and social analysis, Roediger traces the complex process of how these immigrant communities gradually gained access to the privileges of whiteness between the 1890s and 1950s. He documents changes in housing policies, labor practices, and social institutions that contributed to their assimilation into mainstream white society. The research draws on primary sources including government documents, newspaper accounts, and personal narratives to reconstruct this crucial period of American immigration history. Roediger pays particular attention to how these groups' experiences intersected with and differed from those of African Americans and Asian immigrants during the same era. This work provides essential context for understanding modern concepts of race, ethnicity, and privilege in American society. The book's examination of how whiteness was constructed and conferred offers insights into ongoing debates about immigration and racial identity.

Readers find the book provides detailed historical evidence about how European immigrants became categorized as "white" in America through labor, housing, and social policies. Many note its thorough research on immigrant groups like Italians, Jews, and Irish. Readers appreciate: - Clear explanations of complex racial dynamics in labor unions and neighborhoods - Primary source documents and statistics - Connection to current immigration debates Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style that can be difficult to follow - Too much focus on labor unions versus other aspects of whiteness - Some readers wanted more analysis of specific immigrant groups Ratings: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (156 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (21 ratings) Sample review: "Important history but the academic prose made it a slow read. Still worth it for understanding how whiteness was constructed." - Goodreads reviewer "Could have used more personal immigrant stories to balance the policy analysis." - Amazon reviewer

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🔹 David Roediger's research reveals that many European immigrant groups, including Italians, Jews, and Irish, were not initially considered "white" in early 20th century America, but gradually gained "whiteness" through social and economic processes. 🔹 The term "guinea," now considered a slur against Italian-Americans, was commonly used in employment ads and housing contracts in the 1920s, demonstrating how Italians were racialized before their acceptance as "white." 🔹 The Federal Housing Administration's policies in the 1930s and 1940s played a crucial role in helping European immigrants achieve "whiteness" by providing them access to mortgages while explicitly excluding African Americans. 🔹 Labor unions of the early 1900s often used racial categories to organize workers, with many European immigrant groups forming their own separate unions before eventually being accepted into mainstream "white" unions. 🔹 The author draws from rarely examined sources including ethnic newspapers, union records, and real estate documents to trace how European immigrants "became white" through their participation in discriminatory practices against other minorities.