Hyphenated americanism definition. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States.
Hyphenated americanism definition. " What group was the target of The meaning of HYPHENATED is of, relating to, or being an individual or unit of mixed or diverse background or composition. Quick answer: Roosevelt's objection to hyphenated Americans is their divided loyalties, which he argues contradicts true American identity. Oct 17, 2024 · This shift in attitude fuelled the rise of ‘100% Americanism’ that would seek to mobilise and give pre-eminence to the latter part of the hyphenated identities. Aug 5, 2025 · There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism…. In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen (in some styles of writing) between the name of an ethnicity and the word "American" in compound nouns, e. Check out the pronunciation, synonyms and grammar. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at… Oct 10, 2019 · During and after the first World War, there was a severe backlash against German Americans. Explore his views on assimilation and loyalty. "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans. , as in "Irish-American". When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. [Mid-1600s]. ” They argue that the hyphen denotes dual nationalism (and implies inability to be accepted as truly American) while the non-hyphenated form uses their ancestral origin as an adjective for "American. May 21, 2023 · In the early 1900s, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed; “I stand for straight Americanism unconditioned and unqualified, and I stand against every form of hyphenated Americanism. The first published reference, from an 1893 dictionary of slang, has a neutral definition: “ Hyphenated American, a naturalised citizen, as German-Americans, Irish-Americans, and the like. Wood, One Hundred Percent Americanism: Material Culture and Nationalism, Then and Now, International Journal of Historical Archaeology, Vol. The term often explains efforts to reinforce its national identity and self-determination within its national and international affairs. [3] All four There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Margaret C. Jul 5, 2019 · In the spirit of July 4th, BackStory revisits an episode on the abiding question: What does it mean to be an American? We’ll explore 19th-century notions of who could become an American and the ways they were expected to change. If the word can be hyphenated you will see the word divided by red hyphens. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all… “This is just as true of the man who puts “native” before the Dec 23, 2021 · Mahdavi started to investigate the hyphen and its meaning, starting from its origins in ancient Greece. " Apr 25, 2022 · Mahdavi writes, “Referring to the hyphen between the name of an ethnicity and the word ‘American,’ hyphenism and hyphenated Americanism was seen as a potentially fracturing and divisive Jul 22, 2025 · Anyway, here is the speech I promised you: The Speech “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. If the word is grammatically impossible to hyphenate the word will be displayed the way you typed it. In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen (in some styles of writing) between the name of an ethnicity and the word American in compound nouns, e. If the word you are trying to hyphenate does not seem to be a valid word we Oct 3, 2022 · There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. Sep 16, 2023 · The term "hyphenated American" has been used for over a century to describe individuals in the United States who identify with both their ancestral or ethnic heritage and their American nationality. But typically the "hyphenated identity" is characteristic for groups that had problems with assimilation - e. Later, Celtic monks believed the opposite, that the hyphen split up overly long and complex words. On May 31, 1916, Roosevelt addressed the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, on what he called “the subject of Americanism. … The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities. Nov 28, 2013 · THANKSGIVING THINK WEEK: This is the third in a series of stand-alone essays to be published this week that will offer hard-hitting, thought-provoking words to chew on during this holiday season Feb 15, 2025 · There are two or three sides to the question of Americanism, and two or three senses in which the word “Americanism” can be used to express the antithesis of what is unwholesome and undesirable. (more) But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. Mar 13, 2017 · Before joining the Republicans in 1916, Roosevelt was with the Progressive Party. 1. g. In an address to the Knights of Columbus in 1915 he shared his strong views on American exceptionalism. Many black Americans point out that they aren't from Africa, their heritage is from the Carribean, or South America, or Europe. Aug 6, 2025 · Unpacking claims House Democrat said she considers herself 'proud Guatemalan before being an American' The Illinois Democratic representative made a statement in Spanish that sparked much debate. May 18, 2017 · Will I always be a hyphenated American? That’s been the question on my mind lately. 5) How does Maya Angelou’s inauguration poem (Document 13) reflect upon the identity of “hyphenated Americans” by the early 1990s? In reading Document 14, how does PresidentElect Barack Obama define Americanism? Nov 1, 2018 · The quote below is from a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1915: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. " What group was the target of The meaning of PAN-AFRICANISM is a movement for the political union of all the African nations. President Woodrow Wilson spoke disparagingly of “hyphenated” Americans, who he saw as threats to the United States due to a fear of mixed loyalties Sep 12, 2018 · As great an American as Teddy Roosevelt popularized suspicion of “hyphenated Americans” so well that even his political opposite, Woodrow Wilson, took to saying that “any man who carries a Oct 13, 2015 · This was the speech that launched the famous and still controversial term “hyphenated American. More than a century later, after he served as president, Teddy Roosevelt declared that so-called “hyphenated Americans” — meaning Americans with dual loyalties — were not actual Americans at all. Sep 12, 2018 · As great an American as Teddy Roosevelt popularized suspicion of “hyphenated Americans” so well that even his political opposite, Woodrow Wilson, took to saying that “any man who carries a Feb 13, 2020 · Yet, the very fact of a hyphenated citizenry carries with it, by definition, a question of both actual and potential divided loyalty. In 1915, former U. Aug 5, 2025 · When retweeting the Ramirez post, DHS put a quote, which it ascribed to Theodore Roosevelt: “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism…Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Jan 27, 2012 · The OED says the phrase originated in the United States in the late 19th century, but the dictionary’s earliest citations are from British sources. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. Browse the use examples 'hyphenated American' in the great English corpus. This fact has occupied American history from the beginning and has caused a number of deviations that have interrupted life to the national detriment. " Sep 19, 2025 · There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism…The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities. Former president Theodore Roosevelt denounced "hyphenated Americanism", insisting that dual loyalties were impossible in wartime. In making himself , he first begins to highlight qualities of an Americanized population and the benefits related to them before condemning hyphenated ones as a threat to America. Jul 5, 2019 · BRUCE SCHULMAN: So Roosevelt, in the speech, says that there is no room in this country for “hyphenated Americanism. Hyphenated American identity encompasses the full complexities and nuance of identity; it explodes the narrow concept of an American identity rooted in a single culture. Apr 26, 2018 · Theodore Roosevelt once said: “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans. "The Story of The American Legion" by George Seay Wheat I also feel that we ought not to have hyphenated Americans, but Americans pure and simple. Continuing, he said: Colonel Roosevelt's Speech. At the time, it was widely believed that the public schools should force “hyphenated Americans” to become “Americans pure and simple” and shed their old customs and cultures. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born Americanism, untainted and unvarnished by a hyphen or an "ism," especially when the word pacific precedes the latter. Worried that they might compete with them for political power, they questioned the loyalty, political philosophies, religions, and self-interest of each new group. By the spring of 1915, attitudes within the city had focussed on the policies that would ensure the ‘Yanking Out’ of the hyphen so only Americans remained in New York. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. Hyphenate To use the hyphenator, select desired hyphenation language, enter the word you want to hyphenate and press the hyphenate button. This is just as true of the man who puts “native” before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Nov 1, 2018 · The quote below is from a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1915: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. This division impacts U. , I have selected excerpts below and a full transcript is available here. In this essay, we will Define Hyphenated Americans. Hyphenated Americans synonyms, Hyphenated Americans pronunciation, Hyphenated Americans translation, English dictionary definition of Hyphenated Americans. , The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else. ” Definition of Labels American Identified as American Hispanic/ Latin Identified as Hispanic, Latino, Hispano, Spanish or Hispanic/Latino- American and NOT as American Hyphenated Identified as Chicano, Nurican, Mexican-American, Spanish-American, Learn the definition of 'hyphenated American'. Since the release of the 2020 Census data, I have been captivated by the hyphen. African American, for instance, is the exact same as African-American. , as in “Irish-American”. Jul 7, 2022 · What is hyphenated Americanism? In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen (in some styles of writing) between the name of an ethnicity and the word “American” in compound nouns, e. In 1917 one in every three Americans had either been born abroad or had at least one foreign-born parent, a phenomenon captured in the term "hyphenated Americans. What is Hyphenated American? Hyphenated American was used as an insult alleging divided political or national loyalties, especially in times of war. The distinction of hyphenated Americans from the Americanized population is a way for Roosevelt to shade light on the qualities of an Americanized population to the detriment of the hyphenated ones. , Some believed that the hyphenated-Americans (Italian-American, Jewish-American,) would never become “true” Americans. Calling a person a "hyphenated American" was an insult suggesting divided loyalties, especially in time of war. Read Theodore Roosevelt's 1915 speech on Americanism, immigration, and national identity. Teddy Roosevelt Like · · Unfollow Post · Share… Sep 28, 2020 · But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. Feb 25, 2021 · Hyphenated Americans tend to be invisible yet often pressured to prove their Americanness. 2, Special Issue: Studying History Backward: Toward an Archaeology of the Future (June 2014), pp. It was used from 1890 to 1920 to disparage Americans who were of But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. ” I stand for straight Americanism unconditioned and unqualified, and I stand against every form of hyphenated Americanism. . negotiate negotiate aa range range ofof identities identities asas hyphenated hyphenated Americans Americans who who encounter encounter differences differences and and con- con-tradictions tradictions atat the the dynamic dynamic intersections intersections race, of of race, class, class, and and at at both both home home and and culture Jul 3, 2014 · There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism…. [1] We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. A critical look from the sociocultural, sociolinguistic, and lexicographical perspectives at the trite, marginalizing, trivializing, demeaning, essentializing, demonizing, contemptuous, cowardly, and above all othering “less-than-a-real-American” true"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. 18, No. American nationalism is a form of civic, ethnic, cultural or economic influences [1] found in the United States. Where the term HYPHENATED AMERICANS What is true of creed is no less true of nationality. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans Aug 5, 2025 · When retweeting the post, DHS shared a quote, which it attributed to Theodore Roosevelt: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated AmericanismAmericanism is a matter of the spirit and of A hyphenated ethnicity (or rarely hyphenated identity) is a reference to an ethnicity, pan-ethnicity, national origin, or national identity combined with the demonym of a country of citizenship - nationality, another national identity, or in some cases country of residency or country of upbringing. Hyphenated Americanism, 1890–1920 The term "hyphenated American" was published by 1889, and was common as a derogatory term by 1904. It's a label that has generated debates, discussions, and reflections on identity, belonging, and the complex interplay of cultural backgrounds within American society. Plus, we’ll discuss how much room there was for a hyphenated American identity in the past and if there is any room for it today. Oct 12, 2019 · What is true of creed is no less true of nationality. In this essay, I will analyze how these two pieces of literature reflect upon the identity of "hyphenated Americans" and the definition of Americanism and explore whether Obama's election resolved the questions and crises surrounding the definition of an American citizen. Italian-American, African-American. This is just as true of the There are two or three sides to the question of Americanism, and two or three senses in which the word “Americanism” can be used to express the antithesis of what is unwholesome and undesirable. Aug 15, 2008 · There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. Document "Hyphenated Americanism" Speech - Excerpts Former President Theodore Roosevelt, October 12, 1915, in an address to the Knights of Columbus, Carnegie Hall, NYC. [51] The Justice Department attempted to prepare a list of all German aliens, counting approximately 480,000 of them, more than 4,000 of whom were imprisoned in 1917–18. In the first place we wish to be broadly American and national, as opposed to being local or sectional. Jul 24, 2025 · Which is the definition that Salazar and her anti-American compatriots in congress seem to be going with. How to use hyphenated in a sentence. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. , African American, Japanese American). They can be used as politically correct tools of discrimination via othering, lumping groups of people together to over-simplify and dismiss them. Hyphenated Americans are Americans who are referred to with a first word indicating an origin or ancestry in a foreign country and a second term (separated from the first with a hyphen) being "American" (e. " The hyphen could be characterized as a bridge between two cultures or a measure of divided loyalties. For Maria, Hyphenated America is her way of relearning and sharing her family’s history. There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism…The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. Oct 14, 2024 · Once a group or Peoples have been “hyphenated,” the hyphen is not necessary. 12 October 1915, Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. There is a simple, yet very existential American question in the hyphen. " There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. 272-283 May 3, 2025 · Beege Welborn I am a firm adherent to Teddy Roosevelt's definition of American - always sans hyphen. Steve Michaels The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. KKK specifically targeted Catholics, in addition to the PoC), and tended to keep close to their own. "The Menorah Journal, Volume 1, 1915" by Various We are not "Americans" with a hyphen before it. Americans are proud to be part of a nation of immigrants, but some were reluctant to share the ballot box with more recent arrivals. Sep 3, 2024 · In the diverse landscape of the United States, the term "hyphenated American" encapsulates the complex identities of millions who identify with both their ancestral heritage and American In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen between the name of an ethnicity and the word American in compound nouns, e. The ways political bosses integrated immigrants into corrupt urban political machines caused many native-born Americans to fear for the future of democracy. ” THEODORE ROOSEVELT: When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. " This is not a swipe at immigrants. See examples of WRIT LARGE used in a sentence. Feb 15, 2024 · Roosevelt spoke against "hyphenated Americanism," which he defined as Americans identifying with multiple nationalities and being more loyal to a country outside of the United States. [2] Essentially, it indicates the aspects that characterize and distinguish the United States as an autonomous political community. Catholics (all the ethnicities in this cartoon, BTW) were distinct from the Protestant majority, were often discriminated against (e. Definition of 'Americanism'Definition of ' Americanism ' From: WordNet noun Loyalty to the United States and its institutions noun An expression that is characteristic of English as spoken by Americans noun A custom that is peculiar to the United States or its citizens Sep 26, 2025 · hyphen, en dash, and em dash Illustration of a hyphen, an en dash, and an em dash; for illustrative purposes, the punctuation marks are shown larger than they normally appear. S. An American who is referred to by a hyphenated term with the first word indicating an origin in a foreign country, and the second term being "American", In this text, he exposes the scopes of his patriotism , giving a fine-grained definition of “hyphenated Americans” before standing up against them . ” To some in those days, hyphenated Americanism even amounted to un- Americanism. The grammarian Dionysus Thrax, who came up with it, thought of the hyphen as something that brought words and ideas together. When I refer to hyphenated Americans I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Caught in the Crossfire: Adrian Scott and the Politics of Americanism in 1940s Hollywood 2007 I have to say that objecting to "Hyphenated Americanism " is not necessarily racist, but I also have to say that it is an easy veil to throw over xenophobia or mysoxeny. involvement in World War I Oct 26, 2007 · But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism," he stated. President Theodore Roosevelt in speaking to the largely Irish Catholic However, with the convention of hyphenated Americanism, racism is very much embedded in American thought and regularly used to divide the nation in terms of ancestry rather than current national status. , as in Irish-American. Writ large definition: Signified, expressed, or embodied with greater magnitude, as in That book on Lincoln is simply an article writ large. Aug 7, 2025 · This is what Theodore Roosevelt meant when he said, "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. This is a call for unity under one flag, one national destiny. In the United States, the term hyphenated American refers to the use of a hyphen between the name of an ethnicity and the word American in compound nouns, e. Happy Hyphenated-American Day KaneCitizen 2007 Is "Americanism" meant to be inclusive, or is it an anglophobic innovation? What did the Anglo-Americans benefit from removing the Anglo-, when everything that made their nation; it's heroes, holidays, language, legal system, etc were definitively English. For too long, we’ve allowed dual loyalties to take root in the very institutions that are meant to protect our sovereignty. "America First" by Various The Although anti-Americanism is often an accusation hurled at those who dare criticise the foreign (or indeed any other) policy of Republican administrations, the definition of the thing it opposes "Americanism" is rarely defined or described. Apr 28, 2022 · The term "hyphenated American" was originally derogatory and refers to the addition of ethnic or heritage terms to the adjective "American", e. During World War I, the issue arose of the primary political loyalty of ethnic groups who retained close ties to their relatives in Europe, especially German Americans. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of Jun 6, 2018 · "Hyphenated-American" labels have their own problems. ” “There is no room in this country,” Roosevelt bellowed, “for hyphenated Americanism…German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans. qt ne7tuo zdzio dlzp dbf8 t4vh patkpo 58 mz qov8bb
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