“Of Every Hue and Caste†: Race, Immigration, and Perceptions of Pluralism

Taking its title from Walt Whitman's Song of Myself , this article reconsiders the conceptualization of “pluralism†in light of an ongoing debate about race and ethnicity in what the poet called this “Nation of many nations.†While focused mainly on white and black aspects of identity politics, the issues reviewed have implications for all Americans. These include the nature and meaning of minority status and the responses of those so designated to their situations and to each other. It is suggested that many of the concerns expressed today about challenges posed by Americans who wish to assert the uniqueness of their heritages and to encourage others to recognize them are but variations on an old theme—save for one crucial factor. This time those most vigorously touting the importance of such pride in diversity are representatives of black and other racial minorities.