Soul Mates by Drawing on broad national surveys and detailed interviews, W. Bradford Wilcox and Nicholas Wolfinger illuminate the largely positive influence that churches have on relationships and marriage among African Americans and Latinos.Soul Mates shines a much needed spotlight on strong and happy minority couples. The authors reveal that both married and unmarried minority couples who attend church together are much more likely to enjoy happy relationships and to get and stay married, in comparison to similar couples who do notregularly attend church. In particular, they describe how churches serving these communities promote a ''code of decency'' encompassing hard work, temperance, and personal responsibility, as well as an ethic based on the Golden Rule, all of which strengthens minority relationships.But this book also shows that religion is no silver bullet when it comes to addressing the challenges facing African Americans and Latinos. Infidelity, domestic violence, and divorce - among other things - can be found among the ranks of black and Latino churchgoers. Religious faith and religiousparticipation offer no guarantees of a happy family life. Indeed, this book provides the first systematic evidence that religiosity does not substantially affect the likelihood that African Americans and Latinos will engage in sex before marriage or have a child out of wedlock. The authors offercompelling evidence as to why this is the case, focusing on the unique economic and cultural challenges facing African Americans and Latinos in twenty-first century America.Soul Mates offers a wealth of critical insight into the effect of religion on black and Latino relationships. It is also in invaluable source of concrete strategies for pastoral leaders in these communities.
Latinos in the United States: Diversity and Change by As the major driver of U.S. demographic change, Latinos arereshaping key aspects of the social, economic, political, andcultural landscape of the country. In the process, Latinos arechallenging the longstanding black/white paradigm that has beenused as a lens to understand racial and ethnic matters in theUnited States. In this book, Sáenz and Morales provide one of the broadestsociological examinations of Latinos in the United States. The bookfocuses on the numerous diverse groups that constitute the Latinopopulation and the role that the U.S. government has played inestablishing immigration from Latin America to the United States. The book highlights the experiences of Latinos in a variety ofdomains including education, political engagement, work andeconomic life, family, religion, health and health care, crime andvictimization, and mass media. To address these issues in eachchapter the authors engage sociological perspectives, present dataexamining major trends for both native-born and immigrantpopulations, and engage readers in thinking about the major issuesthat Latinos are facing in each of these dimensions. The bookclearly illustrates the diverse experiences of the array of Latinogroups in the United States, with some of these groups succeedingsocially and economically, while other groups continue toexperience major social and economic challenges. The book concludeswith a discussion of what the future holds for Latinos. This book is essential reading for undergraduate and graduatestudents, social scientists, and policymakers interested in Latinosand their place in contemporary society.
History of Latinos by The first text of its kind to trace the combined history of Latino groups in the United States from 1500 to the present day. Latinos have lived in North America for over 400 years, arriving decades before the Pilgrims and other English settlers. Yet for many outside of Latino ethnic groups, little is known about the cultures that comprise the Latino community _ surprising considering their increasing presence in the U.S. population_over 50 million individuals at the latest census. This book explores the heritage and history of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Central and South Americans. Unlike similar history surveys on these communities, this book places the 500 years of Latino history into a single narrative. Each chapter discusses the collective group within a particular time period_moving chronologically from 1500 to the present_revealing the shared experiences of community building and discrimination in the United States, the central role of Latinas and Latinos in their communities, and the diversity that exists within the communities themselves. Features a timetable of major events in Latina/o history Emphasizes the bonds between different groups rather than their differences Includes images and illustrations to reinforce learning Connects the shared histories of various Latino communities
Raceball by The colliding histories of black and Latin ballplayers in the major leagues have traditionally been told as a story of their shameful segregation and redemptive integration. Jackie Robinson jumped baseball's color line to much fanfare, but integration was painful as well as triumphal. It gutted the once-vibrant Negro Leagues and often subjected Latin players to Jim Crow racism. Today, Major League Baseball tightens its grasp around the Caribbean's burgeoning baseball academies, while at home it embraces-and exploits-the legacy of the Negro Leagues. Award-winning historian Rob Ruck explains the catalyst for this sea change while breaking down the consequences that cut across society. By looking at this history from the vantage point of black America and the Caribbean, Raceball unveils a fresh and stunning truth- baseball has never been stronger as a business, never weaker as a game.
Racism in American Popular Media by This book examines how the media--including advertising, motion pictures, cartoons, and popular fiction--has used racist images and stereotypes as marketing tools that malign and debase African Americans, Latinos, American Indians, and Asian Americans in the United States. Were there damaging racist depictions in Gone with the Wind and children's cartoons such as Tom and Jerry and Mickey Mouse? How did widely known stereotypes of the Latin lover, the lazy Latino, the noble savage and the violent warrior American Indian, and the Asian as either a martial artist or immoral and tricky come about? This book utilizes an ethnic and racial comparative approach to examine the racism evidenced in multiple forms of popular media, enabling readers to apply their critical thinking skills to compare and analyze stereotypes, grasp the often-subtle sources of racism in the everyday world around us, and understand how racism in the media was used to unite white Americans and exclude ethnic people from the body politic of the United States. Authors Brian D. Behnken and Gregory D. Smithers examine the popular media from the late 19th century through the 20th century to the early 21st century. This broad coverage enables readers to see how depictions of people of color, such as Aunt Jemima, have been consistently stereotyped back to the 1880s and to grasp how those depictions have changed over time. The book's chapters explore racism in the popular fiction, advertising, motion pictures, and cartoons of the United States, and examine the multiple groups affected by this racism, including African Americans, Latino/as, Asian Americans, and American Indians. Attention is also paid to the efforts of minorities--particularly civil rights activists--in challenging and combating racism in the popular media. Addresses the current and important subject of how the powerful and pervasive messages in the media communicate and reinforce common racial stereotypes about people of color to vast audiences--especially children Examines popular depictions of people of color going back to the 1880s and details how those depictions have changed Explores "fun" subject matter that student readers find interesting--pop culture and how it shapes our daily experiences--with an analytical, critical edge