This collection is aimed at high school and undergraduate students seeking context on issues relating to immigration, both historical and contemporary. The stated goal in the introduction is “to answer all the questions about immigration in American history that students are likely to ask” (ix). Each essay begins with a brief definition, a date (when appropriate), and a statement of significance before the topic is discussed in detail. This format is helpful for students who want to quickly determine the “what, when, and why” before deciding whether to read further.

The 525 entries are concise (ranging from three hundred to three thousand words), easily comprehensible, and largely jargon-free. About one-third provide overviews of broad subjects such as “Art,” “Labor,” or “Television.” These topical essays highlight immigrants’ experiences and contributions within these fields. There is also treatment of specific national groups (Cambodians, Italians, Haitians, etc.), histories of U.S. states, and discussions of significant laws, treaties, and court cases. In choice of content, the volumes under review are hardly groundbreaking: many of the same topics appear in Immigration in U.S. History, also edited by Bankston (Salem, 2006). The present work is both more up-to-date and better written. The writing style reflects the goal of anticipating and answering questions. The authors have done an admirable job distilling complex topics so as to make them readily understandable. Every essay concludes with a selective bibliography for students who wish to explore the topic further. Useful appendixes include an annotated list of U.S. Supreme Court rulings, a chronology of federal laws on immigration up to 2009, and descriptions of federal government agencies concerned with immigration.