Lecture Notes: The Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 and the Reconstruction of Race and Immigration Law

Chapter One from "Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America" by Mae Ngai

Introduction

• Speaker: Discusses Chapter One of Mae Ngai's book.
• Chapter Title: "The Johnson-Reed Act of 1924 and the Reconstruction of Race and Immigration Law"
• Focus: Historical account of US immigration law; criminalization of immigration.

Author Introduction

• Author: Mae Ngai
  • Professor of Asian American Studies, History, Co-director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Columbia University
  • Legal and political historian; author of three books
  • Interdisciplinary Field: Connection to various fields like sociology, law, and history.

Key Questions Explored

• Questions: How did the Immigration Act of 1924 shape modern race understanding? Role in citizenship eligibility.

Key Concepts and Terms

1. Racial Stock

   • Outdated, racist term used to group people by physical/genetic traits (skin color, racial features).
   • Used to justify social hierarchies and discrimination; not scientifically supported.
   • Race is a socially constructed concept.

2. Assimilation

   • Individuals/groups adopting the customs, culture, and values of a larger society.
   • Can be voluntary or coerced; may lead to loss of cultural identity.
   • Balancing social cohesion vs. cultural diversity.

3. Nation, Race, Culture

   • In the 18th and early 19th centuries, these terms were often conflated.
   • Quote from Ngai: "Race, people, and nation often referred to the same idea."

4. Nativism

   • Ideology promoting native-born residents' interests over immigrants.
   • Led to exclusionary policies and discrimination; often tied to nationalism.

5. Scientific Racism

   • Pseudoscientific theory suggesting inherent race superiority/inferiority.
   • Used to justify colonialism, slavery, eugenics.
   • Lacks empirical evidence; refuted by modern science.

6. Pseudoscience

   • Beliefs/practices presented as scientific but lacking evidence.
   • Misleading; undermines trust in legitimate science.

7. Eugenics

   • Movement to improve human populations' genetic quality through selective breeding.
   • Led to forced sterilization, marriage restrictions, exclusionary immigration policies.

8. Essentialism

   • Belief in fixed, inherent traits defining races.
   • Used to justify discriminatory practices; opposed by scholars/activists for its simplicity.

The Immigration Act of 1924 and National Origins Quotas

• Johnson-Reed Act of 1924: Limited immigration based on quotas from 1890 census data.
• Racial and National Origins: Excluded Asians, people from the Western Hemisphere, descendants of enslaved peoples, and American Indians.
  • Pseudoscientific classification created racialized subjects.

Key Cases: Citizenship and Whiteness

1. Ozawa vs. U.S. (1922): Argued for citizenship based on assimilation and moral character.

   • Rejected for not being "Caucasian."

2. U.S. vs. Bhagat Singh Thind: Argued Indian ancestry made him Caucasian.

   • Rejected for not being "white" by common sense.

Key Takeaways

• Race understanding is evolving; scientific racism was widely accepted in the past.
• Early immigration laws were discriminatory and based on racist classification systems.
• Importance of studying uncomfortable history to understand current contexts.

Discussion Questions

1. Experiences with pressure to assimilate?
2. Should immigrants be expected to assimilate? Impact on inclusion and belonging?
3. What defines a "good citizen?"
4. Where do nativist ideas appear in today's U.S.?
5. Influence of the Immigration Act of 1924 on current immigration debates?

Additional Resources

• Recommended Chapter from Mae Ngai's book.
• Research on Ozawa vs. U.S. and U.S. vs. Bhagat Singh Thind cases.
• Linked video on scientific racism (@stepbackhistory).