U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library: 5 Volume set plus Index

U.S.Immigration and Migration chroniclesand interprets the phenomenalwaves of immigration to the UnitedStates from the earliest timesthrough the period from 1820 to1930, when the United Stateswas the destination of some 60%of the worlds immigrants -- up to the presentday, when restrictive policies have temporarily stanched the flowof immigrants.

Features include 300 black-and-white illustrations, includingabout 10 maps; chronology; sidebars; words to know; researchand activity ideas; further reading; and a subject index. TheAlmanac volumes tell of the economic, religious and politicalforces that compelled people to seek a better life in a new land.These same forces later inspired the migration of manyAmericans to other areas in mass movements such as theWestward Expansion; the rural to urban migration; the GreatMigration of blacks in the early part of the 20th century; and themigration to the Sunbelt starting in the 1960s. The Biographiesvolumes bring the panorama of immigration and migration to apersonal level by profiling both prominent and less well-knownpeople of the immigrant experience. Insights into the movementof people are provided in the Primary Sources volume viaexcerpts from key documents as well as personal observations from immigrants and concerns about the rise in U.S. immigration from conservative talk-show host Patrick J. Buchanan.

For table of contents, sample

This set covers immigration--why people moved, how they were received, and how they lived or live in the U.S. Some cultural traditions and current trends are also examined. The set is divided into three parts--a two-volume Almanac, Biographies in two volumes, and one volume of Primary Sources. There is also a separate cumulative index. Each volume opens with an introduction, time line, "Words to Know," and research ideas and ends with a bibliography and subject index. Sidebars, black-and-white photos, and explanatory subheadings help make the content attractive and inviting for students in middle school and up.

The most useful part of the set is the Almanac, a "comprehensive overview of groups of people who have immigrated to the U.S.," starting with pre-Columbian migrations and ending with the post-World War II "third wave." In addition to chapters on groups coming from other countries, there are also chapters on internal migration--the westward movement, forced migrations of the Navajo and others, Japanese American internment, and urbanization. A list of "Words to Know" and a bibliography of books, periodicals, and Web sites are included in each chapter.

Although Primary Sources has only 18 documents, there is quite a range of sources. Included are excerpts from laws, first-person accounts, proposed legislation, judicial decisions, and a controversial Mark Twain essay, "Concerning the Jews." Each offers an introduction to the author and the document, things to remember while reading, and interesting related facts. Unfamiliar words and phrases are defined in sidebars in page margins. The Biography volumes cover 50 people "who were involved or influential in U.S. immigration or immigrants who became successful." This is a highly selective and representative rather than a comprehensive list. The inclusion of the Statue of Liberty as a biographical entry seems odd.

There are a few other minor faults in the set. Pronunciation is rarely given for names or words, and some defined terms seem obvious (new world). The cumulative index is adequate for finding individual names or national groups but has no career fields (astronauts, teachers, scientists). Overall, however, the set is well done and will be used by students doing research at many levels (a must for History Day) as well as teachers and librarians looking for background material. Susan Gooden
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