1 option
Between alienation and citizenship : the evolution of Black West Indian society in Panama 1914-1964 / Trevor O'Reggio.
Loaned to Another Library F1577.B55 O73 2006
By Request
Log in to request item- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- O'Reggio, Trevor.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Black people--Panama--History--20th century.
- Black people.
- Black people--Panama--Social conditions--20th century.
- West Indians--Panama--Social conditions--20th century.
- West Indians.
- Ethnic relations.
- History.
- Social conditions.
- Panama--Social conditions--20th century.
- Panama.
- Panama--Ethnic relations--History--20th century.
- Physical Description:
- 205 pages ; 23 cm
- Place of Publication:
- Lanham, MD : University Press of America, [2006]
- Summary:
- Between Alienation and Citizenship traces the history of the Black West Indian immigrant society in Panama from 1914 to 1964. Originally brought to Panama by the Americans and French as labor for the building of the Panama Canal, many of the workers stayed behind after completion of the canal to work for the Americans. Buffeted and battered by racism and prejudice from the Americans and xenophobia and chauvinism from the Panamanians, they created a thriving and even occasionally flourishing subculture and society.
- During much of the 50 years encompassed in this study, the Panamanian Black West Indian society existed in a kind of no man's land. The Panamanians were unwilling to accept them as full citizens even though many were born in Panama, and the Americans treated them as second-calss citizens. The immigrants, also known as "nowhereans," faced this crisis of identity and homelessness with a steely determination and tenacity to survive. They established institutions, schools, churches, businesses, and profoundly changed the life and culture of Panama in ways that are still evident today. Between Alienation and Citizenship is a story of survival, tenacity, determination, and courage.
- Contents:
- Limitations and Implications of Study 7
- Definition of Important Terms 9
- Literature Survey 10
- Chapter II Theoretical Framework 15
- Theoretical Discussion of Ethnicity 15
- Comparative Perspective 16
- Societal Theory 18
- National Identity 20
- Chapter III The Black Presence in Panama 25
- Slavery in Colonial Latin America and Panama 25
- Race in Spanish Social Structure 30
- Effects of Panamanian Attitudes on Relations with Black West Indian Immigrants 34
- Panama's Views Concerning Blacks and its Impact on Black West Indian Immigrants 35
- Black West Indian Migration to Panama 35
- Chapter IV A Transient Community: 1914-1929 49
- Gold and Silver Workers and Jim Crow Laws 50
- The West Indian Labor Union Movement 51
- Trade Unions and Strikes 51
- Trends in American Society that Influenced Events in the Canal Zone 60
- Racism as a Factor in the Canal Zone Relationship 61
- Panamanian Response 66
- Black West Indian Society - Forged under Pressure 69
- West Indian Businesses and Professionals 78
- Analysis and Summary of the Period 1914-1929 79
- Chapter V Accommodation in the Midst of Adversity: 1929-1945 85
- The Canal Authorities and the Gold Workers' Efforts to Undermine West Indian Survival 86
- The Second World War 95
- Panamanian Nationalism Impacts Black West Indians 97
- The West Indian Community Fights Back 106
- Chapter VI The Road Towards Integration: 1945-1964 123
- Cold War Influences on Panama 124
- Black West Indian Attempts to Cope with Integration 132
- Wages 132
- Depopulation 134
- School Conversion 135
- The Treaty of 1955 136
- Racism 137
- Black West Indian Migration to the United States 137
- The Union Movement 138
- Politics 141
- Panama and the West Indians' Efforts to Integrate 143
- Re-Nationalization of Afro-West Indians 143
- Religion 146
- Race as a Factor in the Integration Process 147
- A Van den Berghe's Schematic Outline of the Paternalistic and the Competitive Types of Race Relations 161
- B Service Contract Between I.C.C. and Charles Cumberbatch 164
- C Letters of West Indian Workers 166
- D Panama Immigration Law 13 174
- E Articles in Workman 176
- F Hull-Alfaro Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation 180.
- Notes:
- Slight revision of author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago.
- Includes bibliographical references (pages [191]-198) and index.
- ISBN:
- 0761832378
- 0761832386
- OCLC:
- 70049554
- Publisher Number:
- 9780761832379 (clothbound : alk. paper)
- 9780761832386 (paperback : alk. paper)
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.