ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book identifies the two primary dilemmas racial minority groups have faced and continue to face as participants in the American political process. The first dilemma is the asymmetry of the United status commitment to freedom and equality for all and the denial of these rights, first to African Americans and American Indians and then to Latinos and Asian Americans. The second dilemma, what racial minorities should do to increase their access to the political process, is ongoing. Racial and ethnic minorities find themselves the targets of various negative policies. As the nation moves forward into the era under the Donald Trump administration, it is likely that the targeting of racial and ethnic minorities will only increase. Donald Trump indicated support for banning Muslim immigration into the country and for creating a registry of Muslim Americans.
