From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-Nash writes of mixed-race America from the premise that race has no proven scientific basis. He discusses what race is, noting "...there is more genetic variation within any grouping we call 'race' than between any two such groups." He traces the defining concept of "race" across the centuries and the impact of racial designations on the intermingling of immigrants. Vignettes about Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and mixed-race Americans who have lived successful biracial, bicultural lives highlight his discussions. Black-and-white photographs and reproductions of pamphlet pages, posters, broadsides, advertisements, and other archival materials illustrate the text. Bibliographical notes reflect extensive research and include historic and contemporary authorities. Nash dispels myths and misconceptions to fight prejudice as he reflects on a difficult subject. An intriguing topic, well handled.
Gail Richmond, San Diego Unified Schools, CA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Should there be a mixed-race option on census forms? Teens moved by the contemporary voices in
What Are You? (see starred review, p.1697) will find that this history of racially mixed people in the U.S., from colonial times to the present, provides connections and context. The alluring title and cover don't quite fit the scholarly, detailed, sometimes heavy, style, but many readers will want to know more about the long-standing taboos and the fight for tolerance, past and present. In many ways, this is also a history of American racism, a disturbing narrative of resistance to "mestizo America." Nash draws on science, literature, politics, art, and music, and especially on popular culture, with words and period prints that show the vicious stereotypes: from the romantic-savage images of Indians and happy slaves to the snarling insults of hate propaganda. Detailed, unobtrusive chapter notes at the back will help readers who want to find out more. What will hold teens are the many personal stories that are woven into the political struggle: stirring accounts of "interracial renegades" who defied convention and stood up for love. Some were famous, but most, as Nash points out, have been left out of the history books.
Hazel Rochman
