MULTICULTURALISM DISUNITYArthur M. Schlesinger

By: Elba Rodriguez and Samantha Semlitz

WHO IS ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER?

● Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. first joined President Kennedy’s campaign as a speechwriter in 1960. The following year he was appointed Special Assistant to the President and held this post until 1964.

● Schlesinger was an avid supporter of liberal democratic causes, Mr. Schlesinger was also the author of several important books, including The Age of Jackson, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945.

WHO IS ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER?

● Mr. Schlesinger became Albert Schweitzer Professor of Humanities at the City University of New York. He returned to speechwriting, during Robert Kennedy’s 1968 campaign and George S. McGovern’s 1972 campaign.

● Throughout his political career, Mr. Schlesinger remained an active scholar, publishing several more historical works and establishing himself as the leading intellectual

of postwar liberalism. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Ready-Reference/Biographies-

and-Profiles/Arthur-M-Schlesinger-Jr.aspx

“ Is it really a good idea to teach minority children myths- at least to teach myths as facts?”

(Schlesinger, 1992, pg 80.)

MULTICULTURALISM DISUNITY

ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF OTHER MINORITY GROUPS

Other minority groups have not been academically handicapped for lack of historical role models. Such as Asian -Americans and Jewish-Americans.

● View this link to show disparities by race, gender and family income.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-08-25-SAT-scores_N.htm

DISUNITY OF AMERICA

• Schlesinger attempts to uncover the mystery behind what went wrong with American society an why the melting pot ideology seems to have disappeared form the minds of many Americans.

● Schlesinger attributes ethnicity as the cause of the breaking of nations and notes that the United States, like that of the Soviet Union and South Africa, is on a direct course toward cultural isolationism not cultural pluralism.

DISUNITY OF AMERICA

Schlesinger states that the issue is not to promote cultural pluralism and Afrocentric or African history. The issue is whether or not to teach this new history under specific ethnic banners and according to specific ethnic values.

READ THE FOLLOWING QUOTE:

MORE QUOTES FROM SCHLESINGER

Watch the video and reflect on his quotes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEeD-NnOrW0

ARTHUR SCHLESINGER, JR.; MICHAEL GRAVESINTERVIEW

Historian and former Presidential adviser Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. talks about his memoir A Life in the 20th Century: Volume 1 and reflects on the contrast between the scientific progress and the global conflicts of the past 100 years. Also, architect Michael Graves discusses his collaboration with the discount retailer Target and most notable designs.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5744246697209782215

FINAL THOUGHTS

How does Schlesinger's beliefs about multiculturalism match up with your own beliefs

REFERENCEBurnett, G. (1994). Varieties of multicultural education: An introduction. ERIC Digest,

98, Marklein, M. B. (2009, Augs 06). Sat scores show disparities by race, gender, family

income. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-08-25-SAT-scores_N.htm

Martin, D. (2007, Marc 01). Arthur schlesinger, historian of power, dies at 89. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/washington/01schlesinger.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Nicholas, D. M. (1999). The implementation of a multicultural strand in selected teacher education courses in a monocultural institution. Dissertation Submitted to the College of Human Resources and Education at West Virginia University,

Schlesinger, A. M. (2001, Janu 01). Interview by M Graves [Web Based Recording]. The story of arthur schlesinger. , Retrieved from http://video.google.com

Schlesinger, A. M. (1992). The disuniting of america: Reflections on a multicultural society. (Rev ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Arthur m. schlesinger, jr.. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Ready-Reference/Biographies-and-Profiles/Arthur-M-Schlesinger-Jr.aspx

Schlesinger's multicultural dissent. (1192, July 12). The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1992-06-12/news/1992164166_1_schlesinger-melting-pot-disunited