Summary Of A Different Mirror By Ronald Takaki

From the birth of the nation to today, the idea that the United States of America was built on the foundation of democracy remains unwavering. Throughout history, many different figures have molded and shaped democracy in their own ways, changing how the nation perceives and defines democracy. From Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational speeches that shook the nation to the riveting case of Brown v. The Board of Education that contributed to the hard fought battle against inequality. Among those figures and events that redefined democracy and therefore the country, stands Ronald Takaki. Known for his work in ethnic studies, Takaki pioneered studies into African American history, being the first professor at UCLA to teach African American history.

Along with his other book “Double Victory: A Multicultural History of America in World War II,” which discusses the mistreatment of Asian Americans suffered during World War II, Takaki amply reveals the mistreatment and immorality of interning tens of thousands of Japanese Americans. Takaki explores the impacts of the war on Asian Americans, African Americans, Mexicans, Jews, Germans, and more. Takaki also wrote books focusing purely on black history. His work, “A Pro-Slavery Crusade: The agitation to Reopen the African Slave Trade” highlights how the the economy in the South was affected by abolition, the abolishment of slavery. Takaki’s main point in many of his works is that minorities are often overlooked due to discrimination. He believed groups were treated harshly with little to no coverage of issues these minorities faced day to day. Takaki was known to be a very outspoken advocate of multicultural education, sharing and educating students on overlooked issues in minorities’