Data from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century show why certain immigrant groups assimilated—and offer lessons for today.
When Americans hear the term “melting pot,” they often think of New York City: tenement blocks, Ellis Island, the Lower East Side, a montage of pushcart vendors becoming small business owners. Our national mythology about assimilation is rooted in the urban and Northeastern experience, suggesting that large, multicultural cities best assimilated immigrants.
