Racism, Immigrants, Slavery and War - Book Report/Review Example

summary the book and compare the racial discrimination experienced by Japanese and Americans versus the discrimination experienced by African Americans.all the citation must from < no-no boy> and they must be in MLA format No-no boy is about a young individual known as Ichiro, a Japanese American individual who refuses to fight in World War II for the American army. After his adolescence, Ichiro feels guilty of not serving his country. Despite the fact that racism existed in the country, Ichiro learns the significance of embracing diversity and attempts to belong himself in the mainstream society.

Racism and prejudice have been vital aspects that have been plagued the society of the United States of America. The root causes of racism are derived from the ideology of the white man’s burden that continues to be the hallmark of white supremacy. In addition, one cannot diminish the fact that America was founded upon the idea of “melting pot.” The racial discrimination that black fighters faced during World War II was shocking (Okada, 32). World War II was one of the most critical wars fought in the European front that literally changed the dynamics of the politics in the international sphere.

The Civil Rights movement was critical because it paved the way for equality. The Jim Crow laws that plagued the United States of America during the 1890’s was the clear illustration of the unfortunate reality that degraded the citizenship rights of African Americans (Okada, 10). The racial segregation that was dominant in southern states was due to factual legislation that the state government imposed. The Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, which clearly gave a mandate of “separate but equal facilities” added more gasoline to the fire (Okada, 20).

It undoubtedly hindered growth for adequate economic opportunity and give rise to hatred groups such as the KKK (Okada, 32). Without a doubt, legislative achievements that were obtained during the reconstruction were completely dissolved. The fact that the idea of “separate by equal” may be feasible to the American society, but the reality of the matter was the fact that nothing was equal. The profound impact of this doctrine was clearly diminishing the power of the federal government to interfere in state affairs to deter another civil war.

Prejudice and racism in the South was so prevalent that it hindered social growth. Prejudicial attitudes are prevalent amongst many groups and are a key catalyst towards conducing hatred. To combat this absurd idea of racism and prejudice, the NCAAP became one of the first organizations that advocated for the civil rights. The result was a collaborative effort in which the NAACP initiated the Civil Rights Movement (Okada, 62). Nonetheless, frustration continued to mount as the integration blacks in white school was resisted by the mass majority of the white population (Okada, 66).

Hence, the goal then for Martin Luther King and other civil rights leader was to combat this type of racism through the use of civil disobedience. Well-known to others, the NAACP along with Martin Luther King took inspiration from the Indian leader known as Ghandi, who had used civil disobedience in his efforts to fight for Indian independence against the British (Okada, 49). Thus, the push to incorporate civil disobedience through boycotts and “sit-ins” became essential tactics for the Civil Rights movement.

One can argue that it was also effective as evidence of changing attitudes were seen throughout nation in which even small businesses began supporting the movement. Although Japanese immigrants never were brought to America for slavery, they were also victims of huge racism that plagued American society. Japanese immigrants first arrived in America during the 1880s and contributed to the huge labor force that was needed in the industrial era (Okada, 70). Thousands of Japanese workers assisted in creating railroads that critical for the growth of the American economy.

Despite the hard work and the discipline of Japanese workers, they were faced with racism and prejudice (Okada, 22). Envy and racial prejudice continue to grow in the hearts of Americans who were propagating anti-Japanese attitudes. Even when these hard workers were doing extensive labor force, they were prone to attacks by white mobs near Seattle where Ichiro lived. Tensions between two groups continue to flare so much so that it lead to an agreement known as the “Gentleman’s Agreement.”(Okada, 18).

This agreement ensured that US and Japan can work together to limit the entry of immigrants into America. The governments allowed the immigration of wives that were married to Japanese Americans, which was the only positive aspect that resulted from this tension. Post-World War I, many American scholars pressured the government to pass laws prohibiting Japanese immigrants from leasing or owning land (Okada, 44). At the federal level, the National Origins Act of 1924 limited European immigration and essentially excluded any further Japanese immigration (Okada, 45).

When the Japanese attacked American soil as depicted in Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were faced with a similar situation.. During World War II, unfortunately, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 commanding authorities to gather Japanese and transport them to prisoner camps (Okada, 22). Sadly, the public supported his actions because they feared that Japanese might be loyal to the Japan (Okadae, 22). As a result, the Japanese were forced out of their homes and lost all their possession in that process.

The character not only undergoes internal conflicts but fight within family and culture too. Clearly, both the African Americans and the Japanese were victims of racism throughout American history. Although the Blacks were more organized in their efforts to collaborate and protest reform, the Japanese were not so fortunate. Both the African Americans and the Japanese have contributed much to the society that we live in today. Works Cited Okada, John. No-no boy. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 19811976. Print.