Race in Turn of the Century America

Race in Turn of the Century America
   In 1903, African American intellectual W.E.B. Du Bois wrote “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line.”  While Du Bois was mainly reflecting upon the lack of equality of African Americans, by 1900, most Americans had developed a racial worldview that privileged White Americans over members of all other ethnic groups, including immigrants and later, over native peoples in American colonies.   In a two-to three-page paper, analyze BOTH of the following:Analyze the following:

1. The specific state and national policies that further entrenched “the problem of the color-line” with regard to African Americans and immigrants through the First World War.
2. The role race – OR – racial ideas – played in the acceptance of immigrants within U.S. Culture and as a justification for U.S. imperialism into the 1920s.

The paper must be two to three pages in length (exclusive of title and reference pages) and include an introduction with a distinct thesis statement that serves as the main idea of the paper. It also must include a minimum of two non-textbook academic sources, one of these sources must be a primary source, either one that is linked in the course, or are available from the following internet sites*:

1. https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/to1914.htm
2. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook28.asp
3. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook34.asp#American Imperialism

 

*Please note that some of the links on these sites may not work.  If your first choice is not available, there should be more than enough options to find an alternative.

The other must be a secondary source. Remember, a primary source is a source that was written in the time period, such as a newspaper article, speech, diary, etc. A secondary source is a source that is written about the time period after the fact, with the aid of primary and other secondary sources. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page.