Racial Heritage Although none of my living family members have any memories of immigrating to the United States, both sides of my family have some record of immigration to the United States. Most of my relatives come from Germany and immigrated to the United States a long time ago. With the possible exception of my great-great-great-grandmother Annie, all my family members would be defined as white today.
My mother’s side of the family has significantly more information on our immigration to the United States. The Brewer family emigrated from Germany sometime in the early nineteenth century. Although unclear, my great-great-great-great-grandfather Isic Brewer is believed to be the Brewer family member that immigrated to the United States. …show more content…
I am part of the middle-class mainly because my family has been able to acquire wealth through land and homeownership. My family’s homeownership, particularly in the suburbs, is directly related to being white. When my grandpa Helfer returned from World War II, he and my grandma were able to buy a house in a good part of town. My grandma and grandpa Bumgardner were also able to buy a home. Unlike black Americans, they were not redlined. My grandparents and parents ability to get a well paying job has not been hindered by their race. While my family is very far from wealthy, we have been able to acquire some wealth. Due to the structural advantages of being white, my everyday life is very good. I never have to worry about not having enough food, clothing, or a place to sleep. I am able to attend college. Because my parents had the opportunity and financial resources to go to college, I am not the first person in my family to go to college. These are only a few of the ways I benefit from a socioeconomic status that is very connected to my race. Race certainly affects my life in more ways than I even …show more content…
They would have been part of the dominant group in America. They likely grew up surrounded by other white people. It is possible that some of my great-grandparents never saw a person of another race during their childhood. When they were growing up, schools were still segregated. Thus, their schools would have been all white. This would certainly have been the case for my great-grandparents Eli and Carrie because they grew up in North Carolina. My great-grandparents attitudes towards race would likely have mirror the attitudes of other rural Americans. Thus, they were probably racist towards nonwhite people. Their race also did not impede them from higher education. My great-grandmother Nelly Grace Brewer had the opportunity to go to college. For my great-grandparents, the decision to go to college would likely been based on their economic circumstances, their location, their family attitudes toward higher education, and the usefulness of a college education in their life. In their decision to go to college, race would not have been a factor. White people were not discriminated again by colleges and universities. Race would certainly have been a factor in their life in other ways though. When they started thinking about whom they might want to marry, they would
My mother’s side of the family has significantly more information on our immigration to the United States. The Brewer family emigrated from Germany sometime in the early nineteenth century. Although unclear, my great-great-great-great-grandfather Isic Brewer is believed to be the Brewer family member that immigrated to the United States. …show more content…
I am part of the middle-class mainly because my family has been able to acquire wealth through land and homeownership. My family’s homeownership, particularly in the suburbs, is directly related to being white. When my grandpa Helfer returned from World War II, he and my grandma were able to buy a house in a good part of town. My grandma and grandpa Bumgardner were also able to buy a home. Unlike black Americans, they were not redlined. My grandparents and parents ability to get a well paying job has not been hindered by their race. While my family is very far from wealthy, we have been able to acquire some wealth. Due to the structural advantages of being white, my everyday life is very good. I never have to worry about not having enough food, clothing, or a place to sleep. I am able to attend college. Because my parents had the opportunity and financial resources to go to college, I am not the first person in my family to go to college. These are only a few of the ways I benefit from a socioeconomic status that is very connected to my race. Race certainly affects my life in more ways than I even …show more content…
They would have been part of the dominant group in America. They likely grew up surrounded by other white people. It is possible that some of my great-grandparents never saw a person of another race during their childhood. When they were growing up, schools were still segregated. Thus, their schools would have been all white. This would certainly have been the case for my great-grandparents Eli and Carrie because they grew up in North Carolina. My great-grandparents attitudes towards race would likely have mirror the attitudes of other rural Americans. Thus, they were probably racist towards nonwhite people. Their race also did not impede them from higher education. My great-grandmother Nelly Grace Brewer had the opportunity to go to college. For my great-grandparents, the decision to go to college would likely been based on their economic circumstances, their location, their family attitudes toward higher education, and the usefulness of a college education in their life. In their decision to go to college, race would not have been a factor. White people were not discriminated again by colleges and universities. Race would certainly have been a factor in their life in other ways though. When they started thinking about whom they might want to marry, they would