A Different Mirror

Refers to the process of uniting or combining. Martin Delany, who is credited as the father of Black Nationalism, believed that there was little hope of white Americans accepting blacks as equals unless a process of amalgamation occurred. In short, he believed only way to get rid of race in America was if Americans became a blended people. Ultimately, Delany did not subscribe to this view and instead advocated for blacks to emigrate to Africa to cast off the oppression of white America.

A type of supportive, ethnic membership, often formed in response to capitalist exploitation. For example, Japanese laborers in Hawaii organized themselves into blood unions, which later became the basis of labor unions.

A term popularized by cultural theorist Gloria Anzaldúa that refers to a place where people of different races and cultures inhabit the same territory. Borderlands are part of our psyches too. This is why Anzaldúa says that any changes to society must first come from within, from an awareness of our shared struggles. Takaki uses the concept of borderlands to write a more inclusive history and to imagine a more inclusive future for Americans.