Not A Nation of Immigrants

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Many Americans, regardless of political affiliation, proudly claim we are a nation of immigrants. Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz argues that this ideology is harmful and obscures the US's history of settler colonialism, genocide, white supremacy, slavery, and ongoing structural inequality. She contends that the notion of America as a land of opportunity, built by immigrants, was a convenient narrative created by the ruling class in response to the 1960s demands for decolonization, justice, reparations, and social equality. This feel-good story promotes a misleading account of progress, masking the violent foundations of the nation as a settler state and its imperialist nature from the start. While some individuals are immigrants or descendants of immigrants, many others are descendants of white settlers who displaced Indigenous peoples or were forcibly brought here against their will. This thought-provoking work challenges readers to abandon the simplistic and ahistorical view of American identity and instead confront the often horrific realities of the nation’s history. Embracing this complex past is essential to understanding the present and addressing ongoing injustices.