Boston Against Busing By Ronald Formisano Summary
"Boston Against Busing: Race, Class and Ethnicity in the 1960s and 1970s"
By: Ronald P. Formisano
The book "Boston Against Busing: Race, Class and Ethnicity in the 1960s and 1970s" written by Ronald P. Formisano examines the opposition of court-ordered desegregation through forced busing. The author comes to the conclusion that the issue surrounding integration is a far more complex issue than just racism that enveloped the southern half of the country during this time period. Formisano argues that there were broader elements including a class struggle, white backlash and "reactionary populism" that contributed to the emotions of those involved. Formisano is persuasive in his arguments that the Boston anti-busing movement was a led by "grass-root insurgents" from the dominate Irish-Catholic working-class neighborhoods in South Boston. These …show more content…
This led the Irish of South Boston to angrily lash out and protect their neighborhoods from the social experimentation implemented by "outsiders." As Formisano discusses the elements and reasons for "white resistance" it seems to be similar to racism. The NAACP claims of inferior schools and degrading teaching presented to the Boston School Committee in the 1960s fell on deaf ears. As Formisano explains "Yankees and Jews might have been susceptible to such an appeal-most Irish were not." The Irish were the predominant force within the political sphere of Boston during this time.
Some of the author's theories seem to be unfounded and have no evidence in the text to support them. Formisano makes statements such as "The Boston Irish did not feel responsible for slavery or the long history of black oppression. They believe the blacks should raise themselves up as other immigrant groups had done before them." After making such a strong proclamation he skips to another totally different subject. This seems to be a constant within the book making it difficult to follow at
By: Ronald P. Formisano
The book "Boston Against Busing: Race, Class and Ethnicity in the 1960s and 1970s" written by Ronald P. Formisano examines the opposition of court-ordered desegregation through forced busing. The author comes to the conclusion that the issue surrounding integration is a far more complex issue than just racism that enveloped the southern half of the country during this time period. Formisano argues that there were broader elements including a class struggle, white backlash and "reactionary populism" that contributed to the emotions of those involved. Formisano is persuasive in his arguments that the Boston anti-busing movement was a led by "grass-root insurgents" from the dominate Irish-Catholic working-class neighborhoods in South Boston. These …show more content…
This led the Irish of South Boston to angrily lash out and protect their neighborhoods from the social experimentation implemented by "outsiders." As Formisano discusses the elements and reasons for "white resistance" it seems to be similar to racism. The NAACP claims of inferior schools and degrading teaching presented to the Boston School Committee in the 1960s fell on deaf ears. As Formisano explains "Yankees and Jews might have been susceptible to such an appeal-most Irish were not." The Irish were the predominant force within the political sphere of Boston during this time.
Some of the author's theories seem to be unfounded and have no evidence in the text to support them. Formisano makes statements such as "The Boston Irish did not feel responsible for slavery or the long history of black oppression. They believe the blacks should raise themselves up as other immigrant groups had done before them." After making such a strong proclamation he skips to another totally different subject. This seems to be a constant within the book making it difficult to follow at