Ethnic Minority

The term ethnic minority is used to describe an individual who belongs to an ethnic group that is marginalized by society because of social and cultural characteristics that are different from, or devalued by, the dominant ethnic or cultural group. In the United States in 2007, Americans of European descent are considered the dominant ethnic group, or ethnic majority, and all others are considered ethnic minority groups. Examples of the major ethnic minority groups in the United States include African Americans, Hispanic/Latino/a Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Arab Americans. Ethnic minority groups in the United States can be further defined by country of origin, with individuals identifying solely as a member of their country of origin (e.g., someone who identifies as “Mexican” or “Chinese”) or individuals identifying with both the country of origin and the United States (i.e., someone who identifies as “Filipino American” or “Jamaican American”). Members of immigrant countries may also identify solely as “American” and dissociate with their country of origin altogether.

To fully understand who is an ethnic minority, it is necessary to elaborate on the terms ethnic and minority. An ethnic group includes people who share common characteristics, which may include race, country of origin, language, religion, customs, beliefs, and values. These common characteristics are typically transferred through successive generations, and ethnic characteristics take on different meanings through and within each generation. Although ethnic categorizations exist, it is virtually impossible to correctly label every ethnic group present in the United States. This is due primarily to the great heterogeneity within and among ethnic groups, such as differences in regions, customs, generations, and languages/dialects. For [Page 1140]example, although Korean American persons may identify as part of the same group, they may differ based on regions (e.g., those whose heritage is from North Korea may differ from those from South Korea), customs (e.g., subgroups may participate in different traditions or practices), generations (e.g., immigrants may hold different values than second-generation Korean Americans), and language (e.g., some members may speak Korean only, others may speak English only, and others may speak both).

The meaning of ethnicity has evolved since the founding of the United States. In line with the voluntary and involuntary immigration of people to the United States, the term ethnic was used primarily as a descriptor to identify people who were of non-Anglo-Saxon Protestant descent. In this regard, ethnic was used to describe racial, religious, country-of-origin, and language differences. At different points in the history of the United States, the term ethnic minority was attributed to religious minorities (e.g., Catholics and Jews), as well as non-Anglo-Saxon Americans (e.g., Irish and Italians). Throughout time, these European American immigrant groups, which previously may have been considered “ethnic minorities,” assimilated to the dominant culture's way of life. These groups may have assimilated primarily because they recognized that belonging to the White racial group afforded them power and privileges. Additionally, with the immigration of Hispanic/Latinos/as and Asians, as well as with civil rights for African Americans, it became evident that Americans of European descent held the power and privilege, and all others were less valued and oppressed.

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