Trends in Ethnic Identification Among Second-Generation Haitian Immigrants in New York City

The author conducted extensive interviews with both first- and second- generation immigrants in New York City, revealing that second-generation Haitian immigrants do not have one single identity. Rather, they exhibit multiple identities that are shaped by both the American realities and the home and familial context. The author describes in detail the various macro and micro factors that account for this great variation in ethnic identification, and discusses the implications of these identity choices for American society at large.

Unlike their parents, who do not consider themselves American but rather birds of passage and who, additionally, because of their distinctive foreign accents, are not perceived to be American, the children of Haitian immigrants have the option of being less ethnic. In fact, they are very often seen by others as merely American. In light of this distinction, the central questions posed in the present study are the following: Are Haitian families successful at passing on to their offspring the same ethnic feelings, identification, culture, and values? How do their children choose to define themselves? Do they consider themselves American, or more specifically, African American? Is being ethnic important to their self image? In what way does the home environment influence their ethnic choices? What role do the American realities that surround them play in shaping Haitian youth identity? What are the manifestations and implication of these identifies?

FLORE ZÉPHIR is Associate Professor, Dept. of Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Missouri-Columbia.