George J. Sanchez

Face the nation : Race, immigration, and the rise of nativism in late twentieth century America

This article examines the rise of nativism directed at Asian and Latino immigrants to the United States in contemporary American society. By focusing on the Los Angeles riots and other evidence of the rise of anti-immigrant feelings among the population, this study reveals that a racial nativism has arisen which intertwines a new American racism with traditional hostility towards new immigrants in a variety of ways. Both recent scholarship on race and John Highams classic work on nativism are utilized to provide a conceptual framework for understanding our multiracial contemporary setting. Tellingly, this new racial nativism emerges from both sides of the political spectrum, and is evident in attempts to keep discussions of race focused on solely white/black national construction. Finally, the study explores how immigrants themselves have responded to these attacks by increasing naturalization rates and political activity, forming a newfound ambivalent Americanism.

Edward R. Roybal and the Politics of Multiracialism

AS a Los Angeles city councilman from 1949 to 1962, Edward R. Roybal built a multiracial coalition reflecting the racial interaction in multicultural neighborhoods and the geographic concentration of liberal-left politics in them. He served his constituents across ethnic lines and pursued city-wide issues of principle. This kind of coalition was replaced in the 1960s and 1970s with a coalition dedicated to the lesser goal of simple racial representation. Roybal serves as an inspiring role model—a Mexican American leader who rejected racialized politics to lead a multiracial coalition of progressives fighting for social justice for all.