Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Background and Problem 5
Guiding Questions 8
Morristown Middle School and the Issue of Diversity 11
The Caribbean Presence at Morristown 13
Race and Social Class Politics in the Larger Morristown Community 16
Caribbean American Youth and the (Re-)Making of a Black American 21
Book Overview 22
Chapter 1 Historical Contexts, Transnationalism, and Race in the United States 25
Slavery, Capitalism, and the Social Construction of Race 26
Slavery in the Caribbean and the United States 27
A Closer Look at the Effects of Macro and Micro Race Politics 30
Race and the Integration of Black Immigrants in the United States 33
Black Immigrants, Identity Development, and School Achievement 37
John Ogbu's Contribution to Understanding the Identities of Black Immigrant Youth 37
Moving Beyond Ogbu 40
Race and Education in the United States 42
A New Paradigm for Understanding Links Between Parenting, School Experiences, and the Identity of Caribbean American Youth 46
Racial Socialization: Preparing and Protecting Black Children 47
Factors That Shape Racial and Ethnic Socialization Messages and Their Influence on Youth 50
Caribbean American Youth and the Benefits of a Qualitative Understanding of Racial & Ethnic Socialization 53
Moving Forward: Transnationalism, Racial and Ethnic Socialization, and Identity Negotiations 56
Chapter 2 Life Narratives: Identities in Transition 60
From Rags to Riches: The Life Narrative of Kerry Ann Fisher, Mother of Bryce 62
Hustling for Success: Life Narrative of Marcia Young, Mother of Charles and Elyse 68
Street Smarts and Skilled Labor: The Life Narrative of Mark Young, Father of Charles and Stepfather of Elyse 71
Privilege Begets Privilege: The Life Narrative of Craig Thompson, Father of Jeffrey 75
Conclusion 77
Chapter 3 E(race)ing Socialization: Transnational Scripts, Ethnic Socialization, and Getting Ahead in America 79
The United States as a Training Ground for Learning Race 81
Ethnic Socialization 88
Ethnic Socialization and the Caribbean Value System 95
Hard Work 95
Good Manners 98
Community and Family Engagement 101
Education 103
Conclusion 105
Chapter 4 Caribbean Immigrants, Racism, and Racial Socialization 107
An Unawareness of Race 111
Pat & Craig: This Nonsense Called Racism 112
Kerry Ann: Preparation for Racial Bias and the U.S. Penal System 116
Mark and Marcia: Intraracial Conflicts 121
Conclusion 126
Chapter 5 Racial Socialization at Morristown Middle School: What Caribbean American Students Learn About Race and Racism by Way of the "Not So Hidden" Curriculum 128
White Privilege and the Real Wages of Blackness for Caribbean American Students 129
Examining the Embeddedness of White Privilege Through Achievement Gap Discourse 131
Socialization Conflicts 135
The Role of Caribbean American Students in School Participation Structures 137
Intersections of Social Class and Race: Locating Caribbean American Students in the Racialized Tracking System 139
High-Achieving Caribbean American Students and Ownership Over Classroom Space 142
Learning and Living the Stereotypes: Experiences of Caribbean American Students in Lower-Level Classes 149
Disciplinary Disparities: The Surveillance and Punishment of Black Bodies 152
Excessive and Frequent Discipline of Black Students 153
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies and Classroom Disruptions in Majority-Black Classes 156
Academic Expectations and the Engagement of Caribbean American Students 163
Difficulties Participating in Classroom Dialogue 164
Teacher Scrutiny and Assumptions of Students' Attitudes and Dispositions Toward Learning 166
Teacher Expectations, Student Disengagement, and Perceptions of Resistance 168
Tracking and Interracial Student Relationships 170
Chapter 6 Converging Identities and Realities: Finding One's Place in the Home, School, and World 173
Complicating Identity Constraints: The Role of Ethnicity and Nationality in Shaping "Racial" Identity 175
Limitations to Self-Identification 179
Understanding the Black Experience 182
Reading Racism: Lessons from Parents, Teachers, and Peers 185
Exploring Race Talk with Parents and Peers 185
Parents' Personal Examples of Experiences with Racism 186
Narratives of Systemic Racism 189
Peer Groups: Mediating Parental Racial Socialization 190
Course Levels, Peer Groups, and Personal Racism Experiences 194
Ethnic Difference and an Alternative Black Experience 197
Transnational Accounts of Blackness 197
The Internalization of Ethnic Socialization as a Form of Racial Socialization 198
Chapter 7 The (Re-)Making of a Black American: Findings, Implications, and Recommendations 202
Study Findings 205
Teaching What They Know 205
Disjunctures in Racial and Ethnic Socialization Messages Between Home and School 211
Implications for Practice 212
Considerations for Future Research 216
Educational and Social Policy 219
Conclusion 220
References 223
Index 233
