In Perspectives on Ethnicity in New Orleans, editor John Cooke has organized nine essays that respond to the meaning of and the durability of ethnicity. A practical and analytical work, the collection focuses on the community, the people and the culture of New Orleans

Cavaioli, Frank J.

English

VCU Scholars Compass

Book .rievieLJS JOHN COOKE ( ED , ) ,  PERSPECT I VES ON ETHNICITY IN NEW ORLEA NS . A p u b l i c a t i o n o f  t h e C o m m i t t e e on E t h n i c i t y f n N ew 0 r I e a n  s ,  1 9 7 9  . S S P P • 5 1  I n  Perospedt-z:ves on r:thm:eit,1l in New 01·lp.a1w , ed i to r John Cooke has organ i zed n i n e  e s sa y s  t ha t  r e s pond to t he mean i ng of and t he du ra b i l i ty of e t h n i c i t y .  A p ra c t i ca l  and a na l y t i ca l wo r k ,  the co l l ect i on foc u s e s  on t he commu n i ty ,  t he peop l e  and t he cu l t u re of New O r l eans . John Logsdon ' s  e s s a y ,  "The S u r p r i se of t he Me l t i n g Pot : We Can Al l Become New O r l ea n i a n s , "  exam i n es t he p roce s s  of a s s i m i l a t i o n  a rgues there i s  a me l t i n g  po t bu t a s s e r t s  "some pe rsons have t r i �d to recaptu re t he i r  e t hn i c  i d en t i t i e s "  i n  t ry i n g to f i l l  t he "vo i d  i n  the i r l i ves . "  The u n i quenes s o f  New O r l ea n s  i s  a "new e t hn i c i t y from o l d wo r l d  and n ew wo r l d i n g red i en t s . "  I t  i s  a p u b l i c  cu l t u re crea ted by ord i na ry peop l e .  As s ta ted e l s ewh e re , " c r eo l  i za t i on "  resu l t s ,  c rea t i ng a n  eme r g i n g cu l t u re o f  d i ve r s e  b l ends . Jo seph V .  Gu i l l o t te , I I I , summa r i ze s  a rgumen t s  fo r and a ga i n s t  ethn i c l ty i n  h i s  es say , " E t hn i c i ty a n d  New- E t h n i c i ty. 1 1  H i s  f i nd ­i ngs revea l t ha t  e t hn i c i ty i s  not a new o r  rece n t  deve l o pmen t  a n d  i t  has served human needs ove r t i me . Even t h e  na t i on - s ta te a n d  t he  Un i ted Na t ions ha v e  not been a b l e to s u pp l a n t  e t hn i c  g rou ps . Ethel yn O rso t ra c e s  t h e  r i s e of ethn i c  awa reness  movements  s i nce Wor l d Wa r I I  i n  l iThe He l l en i c  Na t i v i s t i c Rev i t a l  i za t i on Mov e ­ment i n  New Or l eans . ' 1  The resu rgence of G reek c u l t u re i s  d emon­strated in  the promot ion of G reek customs , food , d res s , dance , etc . , through the examp l es of the fes t i va l , a G reek N i ght  and the He l l en i c  Cul tu ral Center . At the same t i me the G reeks have exh i b i ted s t rong ethnocentr ic  behav iora l pa tterns . An drew Horton presents the exper i ences of the more than 2 0 , 000 sa i lors who a nnua l l y stop off a t  the port  of New O r l eans and the i r r i tua l  of frequent ing the h i gh -pr i ced G reek c l ubs  on Deca t u r  S t reet in "Ody sseus in  Lou i s i ana : G reek Sa i l o r s  i n  New O r l eans . 1 I Bu t  he asserts tha t these c l ubs d i d not serv i ce a l l t he sa i l o rs ' need s . Thus the St . N i cho l a s  Ma r i t i me Center  wa s i n i t i a ted by Fa the r  Wi l nam G .  Ga ines , a Greek Orthodox p r i es t .  The Center  se rves a s  a meetir:g p l ace for Greek sa i l ors thCJ t i s  not a ba r o r  d i sco . Desp i te the support of the G reek gove rnment , Ho r ton wonders  i f  the  Greek commun i ty wi l l  support the Cente r .  The rema i n ing essays dea l w i t h top i c s  a s  va r i ed as  e t hn i c i ty i tse l f .  Ma r i na E .  Esp ina f i l l s a vo i d  w i th the s tudy of  "Seven Generations of a New O r l eans F i l  i p i no Fam i l y . "  Ma r tha C .  Wa rd and Zacha ry Gu ssow exam ine the most  recent i mm i g rant g rou p ,  "The V i etnamese i n  New O r l eans ; A P re l  i m i na ry Report . "  A t ho rough  l ingu i stic compa r i son i s  made in  I I l s l eno and Cuban Span i sh , "  by  Beatr i z  Varel a ,  who opt i m i s t i ca l l y conc l udes tha t bo th d i a l ec t s wi l l surv i ve. Va re l a  a l so advoca tes competent b i l i ngua l p rog rams . Andrew J .  Kasl ow crea tes a mode l  for c ross-cu l tu ra l  fer t i l  i za t i on to ach i eve inter-ethn ic  unders tand i ng i n  the d i ve rse ce l eb ra t i ons of St . Joseph ' s  Day as presented in l iThe Af ro-Ame r i can Ce l eb ra t i on of St . Joseph ' s  Day . I I 52 ExpLomtions in Ethnic � Fina l l y ,  Ma rgery Freeman , in l iThe S t .  Mark l s  Ethn i c  Heritage Proj ect : A Mode l  for Ethnic Studies , "  describes the ora l history proj ect and videotape documenta ry funded by the U . S .  Ethn ic Herl. tage Studies Prog ram , which recorded the experiences of the res i­dents  in the Treme/Seven th Wa rd . F reeman asserts such programs I lwi 1 1  expand in New Or l eans  because more and more citizens are l ea rning to va l ue and p reserve those t raditions and customs which have previous l y  been taken for gra nted . "  I f  such a predict ion ma teria l izes then the revita l iza tion of ethnicity in contemporary Ame rica wi l l  re-a ffirm the distinctive nature of cu l tura l diversI ty. I n  this respect , the succes sfu l pub l  ic program , I I l ta l  t ans In Ch i ­cago , "  di rected by Dominic Cand e l o ro and funded by the National Endowment fo r the Humanities for 1 979- 1 98 1 , ref l ects a significant deve l opment  in soc ia l history , a l ong with the systematic teaching and resea rch a t  the un iversity l eve l . The rema rkabl e work of the I nst i tute for Minority Studies a t  the Unive rsity of Wiscons ln-La Crosse,  the Center for Migra tion Studies in  New York, the I mmigra tion History Resea rch Cen ter a t  the University of Minnesota , the Ba l ch I nstitute i n  Phi l adel phia , to name a few ,  have contributed to the understanding of ethnicity . Perspectives on Ethni� ty in Ne� orLeans represents history f rom the bottom up ,  of community studies , of fami l y  history , and of history of " ordina ryl l peop l e .  This co l l ection of insightfu l essays wi l l  benefit the student of ethnic studies and the general pub l ie .  --Frank J .  Cavaio l i  State University of N8bJ York at Fa:1'mingdaLe ---ED I TOR ' S  NOTE---A l imi ted number of copies of Perspectives on Ethnicity in N� orLeans is avai l abl e  free of cha rge . Wr J te John Cooke , Dept . of Eng l ish, University of New O r l eans , New Or l eans , LA 701 22 .  FRANCESCO CORDASCO AND GEORGE BERNSTE I N1 BILINGUAL EDUCA­TION IN AMERICA N SCHOOLS :  A G UIDE TO INFORMATION SOURCES. D e t r oi t : G a l e  R e s ea rc h C o m p a n y , 1 9 7 9 , 3 0 7  p p . $ 2 4 . 0 0 . This resou rce book is as  va l ua b l e for non-specia l ists as it is for "o l d  hands" in the a rea of bi I ingua l ism who want to have in one vo l ume a guide to resou rces on Bi l ingua l Education and rel ated areas as they pertain to America . The text is divided into nine chapters tha t  cover the fol lowing topics : Historica l and Sociocu l tu ra l  Perspectives ; Curricu l um ,  Prog rams , Guidance and Counsel ing ; Eng l ish  as a Second Language ; Teacher Education , Staff Training and Administration ; Legislation ; Federa l and Sta te Ro l es :  Linguistics , Language , and Mu lti l ingua l ism; Tests , Measurements , " and Eva l uation . The first chapter I ncl udes Bib l iograph ies and Genera l References . Chapter Two , which is the l ongest (52 pages) , l ists numerous ent ries which were p l aced under 

[Review of] John Cooke (Ed.). Perspectives on Ethnicity in New Orleans.

Book .rievieLJS 
JOHN COOKE ( ED , ) ,  PERSPECT I VES ON ETHNICITY IN NEW 
ORLEA NS . A p u b l i c a t i o n o f  t h e C o m m i t t e e on E t h n i c i t y 
f n N ew 0 r I e a n  s ,  1 9 7 9  . S S P P • 
5 1  
I n  Perospedt-z:ves on r:thm:eit,1l in New 01·lp.a1w , ed i to r John Cooke 
has organ i zed n i n e  e s sa y s  t ha t  r e s pond to t he mean i ng of and t he 
du ra b i l i ty of e t h n i c i t y .  A p ra c t i ca l  and a na l y t i ca l wo r k ,  the 
co l l ect i on foc u s e s  on t he commu n i ty ,  t he peop l e  and t he cu l t u re of 
New O r l eans . 
John Logsdon ' s  e s s a y ,  "The S u r p r i se of t he Me l t i n g Pot : We Can 
Al l Become New O r l ea n i a n s , "  exam i n es t he p roce s s  of a s s i m i l a t i o n  
a rgues there i s  a me l t i n g  po t bu t a s s e r t s  "some pe rsons have t r i �d 
to recaptu re t he i r  e t hn i c  i d en t i t i e s "  i n  t ry i n g to f i l l  t he "vo i d  
i n  the i r l i ves . "  The u n i quenes s o f  New O r l ea n s  i s  a "new e t hn i c i t y 
from o l d wo r l d  and n ew wo r l d i n g red i en t s . "  I t  i s  a p u b l i c  cu l t u re 
crea ted by ord i na ry peop l e .  As s ta ted e l s ewh e re , " c r eo l  i za t i on "  
resu l t s ,  c rea t i ng a n  eme r g i n g cu l t u re o f  d i ve r s e  b l ends . 
Jo seph V .  Gu i l l o t te , I I I , summa r i ze s  a rgumen t s  fo r and a ga i n s t  
ethn i c l ty i n  h i s  es say , " E t hn i c i ty a n d  New- E t h n i c i ty
. 1 1  H i s  f i nd ­
i ngs revea l t ha t  e t hn i c i ty i s  not a new o r  rece n t  deve l o pmen t  a n d  
i t  has served human needs ove r t i me . Even t h e  na t i on - s ta te a n d  
t he  Un i ted Na t ions ha v e  not been a b l e to s u pp l a n t  e t hn i c  g rou ps . 
Ethel yn O rso t ra c e s  t h e  r i s e of ethn i c  awa reness  movements  
s i nce Wor l d Wa r I I  i n  l iThe He l l en i c  Na t i v i s t i c Rev i t a l  i za t i on Mov e ­
ment i n  New Or l eans . ' 1  The resu rgence of G reek c u l t u re i s  d emon­
strated in  the promot ion of G reek customs , food , d res s , dance , etc . , 
through the examp l es of the fes t i va l , a G reek N i ght  and the He l l en i c  
Cul tu ral Center . At the same t i me the G reeks have exh i b i ted s t rong 
ethnocentr ic  behav iora l pa tterns . 
An drew Horton presents the exper i ences of the more than 2 0 , 000 
sa i lors who a nnua l l y stop off a t  the port  of New O r l eans and the i r 
r i tua l  of frequent ing the h i gh -pr i ced G reek c l ubs  on Deca t u r  S t reet 
in "Ody sseus in  Lou i s i ana : G reek Sa i l o r s  i n  New O r l eans . 1 I Bu t  he 
asserts tha t these c l ubs d i d not serv i ce a l l t he sa i l o rs ' need s . 
Thus the St . N i cho l a s  Ma r i t i me Center  wa s i n i t i a ted by Fa the r  
Wi l nam G .  Ga ines , a Greek Orthodox p r i es t .  The Center  se rves a s  
a meetir:g p l ace for Greek sa i l ors thCJ t i s  not a ba r o r  d i sco . 
Desp i te the support of the G reek gove rnment , Ho r ton wonders  i f  the  
Greek commun i ty wi l l  support the Cente r .  
The rema i n ing essays dea l w i t h top i c s  a s  va r i ed as  e t hn i c i ty 
i tse l f .  Ma r i na E .  Esp ina f i l l s a vo i d  w i th the s tudy of  "Seven 
Generations of a New O r l eans F i l  i p i no Fam i l y . "  Ma r tha C .  Wa rd 
and Zacha ry Gu ssow exam ine the most  recent i mm i g rant g rou p ,  "The 
V i etnamese i n  New O r l eans ; A P re l  i m i na ry Report . "  A t ho rough  
l ingu i stic compa r i son i s  made in  I I l s l eno and Cuban Span i sh , "  by  
Beatr i z  Varel a ,  who opt i m i s t i ca l l y conc l udes tha t bo th d i a l ec t s 
wi l l surv i ve. Va re l a  a l so advoca tes competent b i l i ngua l p rog rams . 
Andrew J .  Kasl ow crea tes a mode l  for c ross-cu l tu ra l  fer t i l  i za t i on 
to ach i eve inter-ethn ic  unders tand i ng i n  the d i ve rse ce l eb ra t i ons 
of St . Joseph ' s  Day as presented in l iThe Af ro-Ame r i can Ce l eb ra t i on 
of St . Joseph ' s  Day . I I 
52 ExpLomtions in Ethnic � 
Fina l l y ,  Ma rgery Freeman , in l iThe S t .  Mark l s  Ethn i c  Heritage 
Proj ect : A Mode l  for Ethnic Studies , "  describes the ora l history 
proj ect and videotape documenta ry funded by the U . S .  Ethn ic Herl. 
tage Studies Prog ram , which recorded the experiences of the res i­
dents  in the Treme/Seven th Wa rd . F reeman asserts such programs 
I lwi 1 1  expand in New Or l eans  because more and more citizens are 
l ea rning to va l ue and p reserve those t raditions and customs which 
have previous l y  been taken for gra nted . "  I f  such a predict ion 
ma teria l izes then the revita l iza tion of ethnicity in contemporary 
Ame rica wi l l  re-a ffirm the distinctive nature of cu l tura l diversI ty. 
I n  this respect , the succes sfu l pub l  ic program , I I l ta l  t ans In Ch i ­
cago , "  di rected by Dominic Cand e l o ro and funded by the National 
Endowment fo r the Humanities for 1 979- 1 98 1 , ref l ects a significant 
deve l opment  in soc ia l history , a l ong with the systematic teaching 
and resea rch a t  the un iversity l eve l . The rema rkabl e work of the 
I nst i tute for Minority Studies a t  the Unive rsity of Wiscons ln-
La Crosse,  the Center for Migra tion Studies in  New York, the 
I mmigra tion History Resea rch Cen ter a t  the University of Minnesota , 
the Ba l ch I nstitute i n  Phi l adel phia , to name a few ,  have contributed 
to the understanding of ethnicity . 
Perspectives on Ethni� ty in Ne� orLeans represents history 
f rom the bottom up ,  of community studies , of fami l y  history , and 
of history of " ordina ryl l peop l e .  This co l l ection of insightfu l 
essays wi l l  benefit the student of ethnic studies and the general 
pub l ie .  
--Frank J .  Cavaio l i  
State University of N8bJ York 
at Fa:1'mingdaLe 
---ED I TOR ' S  NOTE---A l imi ted number of copies of Perspectives on 
Ethnicity in N� orLeans is avai l abl e  free of 
cha rge . Wr J te John Cooke , Dept . of Eng l ish, 
University of New O r l eans , New Or l eans , LA 701 22 .  
FRANCESCO CORDASCO AND GEORGE BERNSTE I N1 BILINGUAL EDUCA­
TION IN AMERICA N SCHOOLS :  A G UIDE TO INFORMATION SOURCES. 
D e t r oi t : G a l e  R e s ea rc h C o m p a n y , 1 9 7 9 , 3 0 7  p p . $ 2 4 . 0 0 . 
This resou rce book is as  va l ua b l e for non-specia l ists as it is 
for "o l d  hands" in the a rea of bi I ingua l ism who want to have in one 
vo l ume a guide to resou rces on Bi l ingua l Education and rel ated areas 
as they pertain to America . 
The text is divided into nine chapters tha t  cover the fol lowing 
topics : Historica l and Sociocu l tu ra l  Perspectives ; Curricu l um ,  
Prog rams , Guidance and Counsel ing ; Eng l ish  as a Second Language ; 
Teacher Education , Staff Training and Administration ; Legislation ; 
Federa l and Sta te Ro l es :  Linguistics , Language , and Mu lti l ingua l ism; 
Tests , Measurements , " and Eva l uation . The first chapter I ncl udes 
Bib l iograph ies and Genera l References . Chapter Two , which is the 
l ongest (52 pages) , l ists numerous ent ries which were p l aced under 


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[Review of] John Cooke (Ed.). Perspectives on Ethnicity in New Orleans.

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